Active men in their 20s have about 15 percent body fat. By age 60, that number goes up to 25-30 percent. Why? Because our muscle mass begins to decline to the tune of 1-2 percent per year from age 30 on. Sarcopenia is the scientific term for this age-related muscle loss. It's a slow but steady process. Gradually muscle is replaced by body fat. For every pound of muscle you lose, you will typically gain a pound of fat. If you don't hold onto your skeletal muscle after 50 or 60, the curtain comes down, and it may not go back up again.
That's hard to believe when you're young. But the older you get, the more true it is. Maintaining muscle strength is a game changer. Not just to get out of that chair or climb the stairs or hold your grandbaby. But to avoid falling and to keep you mobile in general. Otherwise sarcopenia takes over. You have to overcome that tide, folks. Few things matter as much as avoiding loss of muscle mass and you do that best with strength training.
The important point is that we can all preserve our muscle with the right exercises. It can be done, no matter how old you are.
