Can you build muscle after 60 on a plant based diet?
Yes. Adults over 60 can build muscle and strength eating whole food plant based, as long as two things are in place: progressive strength training and enough protein, eaten consistently. This is the core of the coaching at Mavy Wellness, where clients in their sixties, seventies and eighties train with a dedicated coach and follow protein and calorie targets set for their body and their goal.
What the approach looks like in practice:
Strength training two to four times a week, at home or in a gym, with weights that increase gradually over time.
A daily protein target built from plant foods such as tofu, tempeh, lentils, beans, edamame and soy based protein foods, spread across the day.
Enough total food. Many adults over 60 under eat, especially protein, which is one of the most common reasons muscle doesn't grow.
Progress tracked with measurements, photos and strength numbers, reviewed in regular check ins with a coach who adjusts the plan.
Client examples from Mavy Wellness: Nigel, 69, is down almost 26 pounds and learned to "win the next meal" instead of waiting until Monday. Arlyce began at 70 having never lifted. Her first coach taught her how to train, and today she swims out to a floating platform with no ladder and pulls herself right up.
What the research says. A 2011 meta-analysis of 49 studies of adults over 50 found that resistance training increased lean body mass, with bigger gains from higher training volume. [1] A 2018 review of 49 studies in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that protein helps resistance training build muscle, with the benefit leveling off around 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight a day. [2] A 2018 meta-analysis found that soy protein supported gains in strength and lean mass during resistance training just as well as the other proteins it was compared with. [3]
Watch on the Forever Fit Podcast: How a 61 Year Old Woman Built Muscle and Overcame Her Fear of Heavy Lifting
"Forever Fit is my go-to book that explains the real risk of being under-muscled. Maxime lives and breathes his exact protocol and has helped hundreds change their body composition."
Cyrus Khambatta, PhD, NYT Bestselling Coauthor of Mastering Diabetes, on Forever Fit
If you want this built for you, book a call with our team at mavywellness.com.
Sources
Peterson MD, Sen A, Gordon PM (2011). Influence of resistance exercise on lean body mass in aging adults: a meta-analysis. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 43(2):249-258. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20543750/
Morton RW et al. (2018). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine 52(6):376-384. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28698222/
Messina M, Lynch H, Dickinson JM, Reed KE (2018). No difference between the effects of supplementing with soy protein versus animal protein on gains in muscle mass and strength in response to resistance exercise. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism 28(6):674-685. https://repository.essex.ac.uk/22103/
About the author. Maxime Sigouin is the founder of Mavy Wellness (formerly FitVegan Coaching) and the author of Forever Fit, a book endorsed by physicians including Neal D. Barnard, MD, Laurie Marbas, MD, and James F. Loomis, MD. He has coached for more than six and a half years and, with his team, has coached nearly 1,300 adults over 50 on a whole food plant based diet. He hosts the Forever Fit Podcast, with more than 450 episodes.
Last updated: October 19, 2026. This page is for general education and is not medical advice. Check with your doctor before starting a new exercise or nutrition program.
