Simple Steps To Stay Strong As You Age

In my last post, I shared why I’ve shifted my focus from simply helping women “get strong” to helping them stay vibrant, independent, and confident as they age.

The good news? Your fitness routine doesn’t need to be complicated, and it definitely shouldn’t feel exhausting.

Here are a 3 simple, effective ways to start building real strength and resilience in this next phase of life.

1. Sleep.

Yes, sleep is super important for a number of reasons, hormone regulation, mood, brain health, but let’s talk about what it does for your muscles and bones.

💤 During deep sleep, your body releases growth hormone, which plays a key role in muscle repair and bone remodeling. If you’re not sleeping enough, or your sleep quality is poor, you’re not fully recovering from your workouts, and you may actually start breaking down more than you're building.

😴 Chronic lack of sleep is also linked to reduced bone mineral density and increased risk of osteoporosis in midlife women.

So if you’re training hard and eating well, but skipping rest or getting broken sleep... you're skipping the step where the magic happens.

Prioritize rest like you do your workouts. Your bones and muscles will thank you.

 2.Lift Heavy.

Now let’s talk about what that really means, because “heavy” is relative. When fitness pros say “lift heavy,” we’re not talking about picking up the biggest weight in the gym. We mean choosing a weight that challenges your body in a low rep range, specifically 4 to 6 reps per set.

🛑 If you can do 10+ reps easily, that’s endurance or hypertrophy (muscle building) training, not strength.

✅ For strength training, we’re aiming for 4 sets of 4–6 reps, and that last rep should feel tough, like you maybe have one more in the tank.

This kind of training sends a strong signal to your muscles and bones to adapt, grow, and get stronger, which is especially important during perimenopause and menopause when we’re naturally losing strength and bone density.

So next time you lift, ask yourself:

"Could I do 5 more reps?"

If the answer is yes, it’s time to go heavier. 💪\

3.Protein.

It’s not just for bodybuilders, protein is essential for every woman, especially during perimenopause and menopause. Eating enough protein supports muscle repair and growth, helps maintain lean body mass, and plays a key role in keeping your metabolism active. As estrogen declines, we naturally lose muscle and bone mass, making protein even more important to preserve strength, energy, and mobility. It also helps keep you satisfied after meals, supports blood sugar balance, and is crucial for recovery after workouts.

So how much should you aim for?

💪 Most active women in midlife need at least 0.8–1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily.

That means if you weigh 150 lbs, you should aim for 120–150 grams of protein per day, ideally spread out over each meal.

Prioritize protein, it’s one of the most powerful tools you have for aging strong and feeling your best.

Amanda.