Reversing Body Composition Change

Did you know that muscle mass starts to decline in women as early as our 30s and accelerates in our 40s and 50s? This process, called sarcopenia, can leave us feeling weaker, more fatigued, and at greater risk for injuries and chronic diseases. The good news? ?? With small, consistent actions, we can slow—and even reverse—this trend.

Why Muscle Loss Happens

As we age, hormonal changes—particularly the decline in estrogen—play a significant role in muscle loss. Estrogen helps maintain muscle mass and strength, so when levels fluctuate and drop during peri/post menopause, our muscles can weaken more quickly.

Other contributing factors include:

• Reduced activity levels: Many women naturally move less in midlife.
• Changes in metabolism: Our bodies process nutrients differently, requiring more effort to maintain muscle.
• Inadequate protein intake: Muscles need sufficient fuel to grow and repair.

Without intervention, muscle loss leads to:

• Decreased strength and balance, increasing the risk of falls and fractures ??.
• Reduced metabolic rate, making it harder to maintain a healthy weight.
• Increased risk of type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and other chronic conditions.
• Loss of independence and quality of life in later years.

What Can We Do About It?

The solution doesn’t require massive overhauls or endless hours in the gym. Small, strategic steps can make a big difference:

1. Strength Training Is Your Best Friend ???

• Start with bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, and push-ups.
• Gradually add resistance with dumbbells, resistance bands, or even household items like water bottles.
• Aim for 2-3 sessions per week targeting major muscle groups.

2. Prioritize Protein ??

• Incorporate a high-protein food in every meal: chicken, tofu, beans, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt and eggs.
• A general goal is 100-150 grams of protein, depending on how much you weigh and how active you are. That's a lot!

3. Get Moving Daily ??♀?

• Take a brisk 10-minute walk (after meals being the very best time) to support metabolism and maintain activity levels.
• Incorporate more movement into your day: park farther away, take the stairs, or do some light stretching while watching TV.

4. Rest and Recover ??

• Muscles grow and repair during rest. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night to optimize recovery. Consider getting a sleep tracker, like the Oura Ring.
• Stretching or yoga can help improve flexibility and reduce soreness.

5. Keep It Consistent

• Build habits you can stick with. Small, repeated actions are what will make the difference here. So, sometimes the smaller the better, if that's what it takes to get us to do the thing.

So, what's one small thing you can take from this newsletter and try out going forward? That one little thing could add years to your life, or your quality of life! ??

Want some support?

Check out my "Better Strength, Sleep & Energy Challenge!" that starts this Sunday, January 5, 5.30pm pst with a live kick-off event. After that, the challenge gives you one small action each day. Each daily action you complete unlocks the next daily action, which makes it utterly do-able. And at just $30 for 30 days, it's totally affordable, too. Here's the info.