Yes. Building and maintaining muscle can become more challenging after 40, but you can absolutely continue to build muscle.
The biggest things that can help are resistance training regularly, eating enough protein, getting adequate calories and nutrients, staying physically active and allowing enough time for sleep and recovery.
It can also help to:
– Strength train at least 2–3 times per week and gradually increase resistance.
– Aim for adequate protein throughout the day rather than getting most of it at one meal.
– Avoid overly aggressive calorie restriction when trying to lose weight, which can increase muscle loss.
– Make sure vitamin D, iron, B12 and other nutrients are adequate when symptoms or risk factors suggest a deficiency.
– Address poor sleep, since recovery is an important part of maintaining and building muscle.
– Discuss hormonal changes with a healthcare provider if you’re also experiencing symptoms that could suggest a hormone-related issue.
– Track body composition—not just body weight—so you can see whether you’re maintaining muscle while losing fat.
At Revive, our 3D Body Scan can track changes in body composition over time, which can be especially helpful during weight loss or when your goal is to maintain or build muscle.