Many people set aside necessary funds for retirement but refuse to invest in their health and fitness to achieve physical independence as they age. Ask yourself this question, how much can you enjoy your retirement years if you have a lot of money, but lack physical health?

If you’re over 50, it’s time to start seriously investing in a health and fitness plan that will help protect you from the mental and physical ailments associated with age. Beginning at age 40 and as early as 30 for some, a natural process of muscle loss called sacopenia begins to occur in your body. You can lose as much as 1 to 2 pounds of muscle each year starting at age 40, and this process accelerates with age if not slowed down.

Sacopenia can lead to muscle weakness, fatigue, insulin resistance, increased risk of falls, and loss of independence. These are the main things normally associated with the aging process. It’s not a pretty picture. However, you can begin to combat sacopenia now, and in some cases reverse this process through diet and exercise.

Increasing your protein intake and strength training are two of the most effective ways to combat muscle loss. While 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (0.36 grams per pound) has been the normal recommendation for daily protein intake for years. Now, many new studies show that 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (0.45 to 0.68 grams per pound) may be most beneficial for building, maintaining, and reducing muscle loss.

Strength training, also known as weight lifting, has been shown to be the best form of exercise for building muscle and strength, which helps maintain your independence as you age. The good news is that it is never too late to start. People over the age of 90 have been shown to gain muscle and strength on a properly designed weight lifting program. Of course, the sooner you start the better. I recommend that you strength train 2-3 times a week starting in your forties.

Now that you see that it’s just as important to invest in your health and fitness program as it is to invest in your retirement account, where do you start? I suggest you find a nationally certified fitness professional and have them design a personalized strength training program for you.