For young people it is very hard to relate to old, or even middle age. Being old just does not occur to us. This is a shame, as we could prepare for our old age on an ongoing basis and  end up having a far better quality of life in our “golden years”!

Obviously there are many things that are unavoidable, but one inevitable aging process we have control over is loss of lean muscle. As early as our late 20’s we start losing skeletal muscle. These are the voluntary muscles that attach to our bones, that we use to carry out our daily lives. This loss is known as Sarcopenia.

In most cases, it is the loss of muscle that causes older people to be frail, to shuffle, to be unable to lift slightly heavier things, to lose their balance and in general, to have a decreased quality of life.

There are two things we can do to stave off sarcopenia. The first is getting off the couch and being more active. Most importantly, engaging in a strength training program.

The second, is to eat a high protein diet. Protein is essential for building and maintaining muscularity. It is most important to eat protein after a workout, but spreading protein consumption evenly throughout the day is extremely beneficial.

Keeping these two important tips in mind could be the way to enjoy a more productive and healthy older age.