The last time functional medicine doctor Gabrielle Lyon, D.O., author of Forever Strong, joined us on the mindbodygreen podcast, we had a fascinating conversation around lean muscle mass and protein consumption (check out the highlights here). We promised to have her back on the show to dive even deeper into these topics—and, well, the time has come!
Today, Lyon shares her must-have muscle-building tips for any age, including the daily habits she personally swears by. Below, find a few tips to strengthen your “organ of longevity.”
1.Start early
It’s never too late to start working on muscle mass, but the earlier you commit, the better. “Because let’s face it: It doesn’t get easier,” says Lyon. “In your 60s, 70s, and 80s, it becomes more challenging to maintain healthy skeletal muscle mass.”
She even argues sarcopenia (aka, a decrease in muscle mass and strength) can begin as early as your 30s1, due to increasingly sedentary lifestyles. “So when you are in your 20s and 30s, this is your prime time for optimizing the health of skeletal muscle,”
