As we age, it’s natural to lose muscle mass. In fact, we start to lose muscle mass as early as age 30. Unfortunately, although it’s a natural part of ageing, a loss of muscle mass can increase your risk of falls. Therefore, maintaining body strength is especially important for your overall wellbeing.
These are our tips for maintaining your body strength at home.
Eat a Balanced Diet
One of the simplest yet most effective ways of maintaining body strength is to eat a healthy diet. This is because eating the right food types will contribute to healthy muscle mass. One of the most important food groups for maintaining body strength is protein. This is because protein is broken down into amino acids, which are used to build muscle.
You should aim to eat lean meats to avoid consuming too much fat. Good sources include chicken, turkey, fish, and trimmed red meats. However, you can also get protein from eggs, yoghurt, and beans. To make sure your body is efficiently building muscle, you also need to make sure you are balancing your diet with vitamins and minerals.
Top Up Your Vitamin D
Vitamin D is important for bone and muscle health, both of which require extra care in over-65s. Weak bones or muscles can contribute to the risk of falling and may result in more serious injuries. Fortunately, Vitamin D helps to improve the efficiency of muscle growth.
Spending time in the sun is one way to absorb Vitamin D. Consider gardening more often, as it gets you out in the sun and keeps you active. However, over-60s take four times longer to produce Vitamin D from sunlight. Fortunately, you can get supplements that help to top up your Vitamin D levels.
Walk Regularly
One of the simplest things you can do is move around. Sitting down all day will speed up the loss of muscle mass. If you are worried about falls, you can still get up and walk around – consider using a mobility aid to boost your confidence. Make sure to move around every half hour or so. If you can, stay on your feet for up to ten minutes to keep your muscles healthy.
If you feel more confident on your feet, consider joining a walking group. This will help to get you outside, where you can absorb more Vitamin D as well as socialise. It may also help provide additional opportunities to see beautiful sights. Moreover, you may feel safer and more confident with people around you.
Resistance Training
Walking isn’t the only method for maintaining body strength. Another technique is resistance training. This is a form of exercise where you make your muscles work against a weight. One of the simplest ways to get started with this type of exercise is to fill a couple of empty milk bottles with water and lift them.
Alternatively, you could purchase proper dumbbells. To maintain muscle strength in your legs, you will need to try other exercises. Squats and lunges are effective for building muscle. However, you may want to try these near a chair or grabrail to keep yourself steady. You can also buy resistance bands to further strengthen your muscles whilst exercising.
Other Exercises
Naturally, exercise is necessary for maintaining body strength. Other exercises that support muscle strength include swimming, cycling, and running. These will give you a full-body workout, which will help to maintain good muscle mass all over. This, in turn, will help to reduce the likelihood of weakness.
The great thing about these exercises is that you can do them with other people. Consider joining a club or attending classes. This can make it safer to engage in more taxing exercises, as there will be people around to support you.
Our Mission
Telecare Choice strives to help people live confidently and independently. Our personal alarm systems are designed to help elderly and disabled people stay independent in their own homes. If you ever have a fall or feel unwell, pendant alarms will ensure that you can call for help quickly.
Find out more by calling our friendly team on 0800 635 7000 or use our simple contact form.
You can order a Telecare alarm online today and receive free next-day delivery.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on 2nd July 2024.
