Preventing sarcopenia — maintaining muscle mass and strength as you age.
Sarcopenia is age-related muscle loss — starting as early as your 30s, accelerating after 50. Without intervention, you can lose 3–8% of muscle mass per decade after 30. Muscle isn't just for strength — it's metabolically active, supports bone health, balance and glucose regulation.
Women start with less muscle mass than men and lose it faster after menopause. Muscle loss leads to weakness, poor balance, increased fall risk, slowed metabolism (making weight management harder), and reduced independence. Sarcopenia is strongly linked to frailty and mortality in older women.
Women over 50 need more protein: 1.2–1.5g per kg of body weight daily (compared to 0.8g for younger adults). For a 65kg woman, that's 78–98g per day. Spread protein across meals (aim for 25–30g per meal). Good SA sources: chicken, fish, eggs, amasi, yoghurt, beans, lentils, lean red meat.
It's never too late to start. Focus on compound movements (squats, lunges, push-ups, rows), progressive overload (gradually increasing weight or reps), and consistency (2–3 sessions/week). Work with a trainer initially to learn proper form. Even women in their 80s and 90s can build significant muscle.