Strength after 50: Protein, Stength training and Inflammation
Strength After 50: Protein, Strength Training and Healthy Aging
One of the changes I became more aware of after 50 was a gradual loss of strength.
Things that once felt effortless—carrying groceries, lifting luggage, opening jars, getting up from the floor—sometimes required more effort. For someone who had played tennis, practiced yoga and always thought of herself as fairly strong, this was a noticeable shift.
It made me think differently about what strength really means as we age.
Strength is not just about fitness. It is about independence.
As we get older, muscle loss can happen gradually. Inactivity, inflammation, inadequate protein, poor sleep, stress and injury can all contribute. The encouraging part is that this is not something we simply have to accept without doing anything about it.
Two areas matter greatly: how we nourish the body and how we use the body.
Nourishing the body
There is so much emphasis today on anti-inflammatory eating, and rightly so. But sometimes we focus so much on what to avoid that we forget to ask another important question:
Am I eating enough to maintain muscle and strength?
Protein becomes especially important as we age.
For vegetarians, foods such as tofu, dals, beans, lentils, soy foods, yogurt, paneer and eggs, if included, can help build a more protein-rich eating pattern.
Ayurveda adds another dimension. It reminds us that nourishment is not only about what is on the plate, but also about how well we digest, absorb and transform that food into healthy tissue.
As we move into the Vata stage of life, warm, nourishing and digestible meals may become increasingly important.
In Part 1 of my Strength After 50 series, I explore inflammation, age-related muscle loss, protein needs, vegetarian protein choices and the Ayurvedic perspective on digestion and muscle health.
Watch Part 1: Strength After 50 – Food, Protein and Inflammation
Using the body
Good nutrition gives the body the raw material it needs, but muscles also need to be used.
Walking and other cardiovascular activity support endurance and heart health. Strength training helps preserve and rebuild muscle. Yoga supports flexibility, balance, mobility and body awareness.
Ayurveda refers to exercise as Vyayama and takes a very individualized approach. The right amount of movement depends on our age, strength, constitution, health and ability to recover.
More is not always better.
A useful question is:
Do I feel energized after exercise, or depleted?
Exercise should challenge us appropriately, but it should not become another way to criticize or punish the body.
In Part 2, I look at cardiovascular exercise, strength training, yoga, dosha-based movement, pranayama and the importance of rest and recovery.
Watch Part 2: Strength After 50 – Exercise, Yoga and Ayurvedic Lifestyle
Healthy aging does not mean trying to hold on to the body we had at 30.
It means supporting the body we have now so that we can continue to move, travel, lift, bend, balance and live independently for as long as possible.
A little more attention to nourishment, movement and recovery can go a long way.
Listen to your body, observe your mind and heal yourself.
References
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. Protein RDA: 0.8 g/kg/day for adults.
Deutz NEP, Bauer JM, Barazzoni R, et al. “Protein intake and exercise for optimal muscle function with aging: recommendations from the ESPEN Expert Group.” Clinical Nutrition. 2014;33(6):929–936.
Bauer J, Biolo G, Cederholm T, et al. “Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: Position Paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group.” Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. 2013;14(8):542–559.
Whaikid P, Piaseu N. “The effectiveness of protein supplementation combined with resistance exercise programs among community-dwelling older adults with sarcopenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Epidemiology and Health. 2024;46:e2024030. doi:10.4178/epih.e2024030.
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