7 Things to Do Every Week for Stronger Bones

Our bones are not as solid and stagnant as they may seem. They’re living tissue that renews itself constantly, and they require regular care. As adulthood advances, especially past midlife, bone strength becomes even more important. Weak bones increase the risk of fractures and can affect mobility, and when bones or joints feel achy or stiff, it can be a sign that your body needs more support through movement, nutrients or rest. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, peak bone mass is usually attained by around age 30, so what you eat and how you move when you’re younger forms the foundation for how strong your bones will stay later in life.

Bone health isn’t purely about whether you take calcium or try to avoid osteoporosis. It’s about building resilience, preserving mobility and maintaining vitality well into older age. A combination of diet, movement, sleep and everyday habits plays a major role in how strong and steady our bones stay throughout life. And while more women than men are affected by osteoporosis, stronger bones are not just a women’s issue. Everyone benefits from routines that help keep bones strong and steady.

Here are seven weekly habits that dietitians recommend to help keep your bones healthy.

1. Move Your Body with Purpose

When it comes to protecting bone health, movement is medicine. Try to include resistance training at least twice a week and add some impact activities, if your body allows. Even simple habits like taking the stairs or carrying groceries can count.

Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, CSSD, explains, “For someone who can’t or doesn’t want to do high-impact exercise like running or jump rope, the best exercises for bones are low-impact, weight-bearing exercise and  muscle-strengthening exercise. Weight-bearing exercise is when your body holds itself up against gravity. Although high-impact workouts are great for bones, lower-impact options such as brisk walking, marching or stair climbing are still great options.”

Jackson Blatner adds, “Muscle-strengthening exercise is when your muscles work against resistance. Body weight and bands are a great place to start to build muscle, and then working toward using weights, like free weights and/or machine weights. The weight puts stress on your muscle and bone in a good way, and encourages them to be stronger.”

Jackson Blatner also reminds women that strong muscles and bones go hand in hand. “Strong muscles are your bones’ best friend. Muscles tug on bones, so anything that strengthens the muscle, is also strengthening the bone. Bottom line: You’re never just exercising muscle; you’re also training the bones underneath it.”

And if you need one action step to try this week, Blatner says, “Do something that safely challenges your muscles, which in turn helps your bones. For example, sign up for a weight-lifting class at your local gym, pick up a slightly heavier weight than last week or do some jumps (hopscotch, anyone?).”

2. Prioritize Nutrients for Healthy Aging

Calcium often gets top billing for bone health, but it’s only part of the picture. Your body also needs other important nutrients to build and maintain bone structure. According to Elizabeth Ward, M.S., RDN, “Several nutrients contribute to bone health, including protein, magnesium and vitamin K. Protein is necessary to make bone cells, and you need enough of it to build muscle that helps to keep you strong and upright. Vitamin K flies under the radar, but the body needs it to make a protein that activates bone cell production. The isoflavones in soy foods, such as tofu, tempeh and edamame, help slow down bone loss after menopause, too.”

If calcium is Batman, vitamin D is Robin. It’s the trusty sidekick that helps calcium do its job by making sure it’s absorbed and used where it’s needed most: in your bones.

Keri Gans, M.S., RDN, agrees that a food-first approach matters. “Food should always come first, but supplements can be important for many people. If your diet doesn’t provide enough calcium, vitamin D or other bone-supporting nutrients, supplements may work to fill the gaps. However, you’ll get the best results when they’re combined with calcium- and vitamin D-rich foods as part of an overall balanced diet. Foods like dairy, fortified plant milks, tofu, canned salmon with bones and leafy greens all contribute to stronger, healthier bones.”

3. Include Prunes a Few Times a Week

It may sound surprising, but research shows that prunes can help preserve bone density, a distinction they share with other bone-building foods like dairy, leafy greens and fortified plant milks. Their unique blend of polyphenols and boron supports bone formation and may help reduce bone loss.

Melissa Joy Dobbins, M.S., RDN, CDCES, explains why prunes deserve a spot in your weekly routine: “Prunes contain many different nutrients that support bone health, including fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamin K, polyphenols, copper and boron. Research suggests that prunes may help inhibit bone resorption.”

Try blending prunes into smoothies, chopping them into salads, or eating a few as a sweet afternoon snack.

4. Be Mindful of Sodium

Too much sodium can cause your body to lose calcium, which weakens bone density over time. Cutting back on ultra-processed foods and seasoning with herbs, citrus or vinegar instead of extra salt can help protect both heart and bone health. Be sure to read food labels to be more aware of the sources of sodium in your typical day.

Hillary Wright, M.Ed., RDN, explains, “It’s common knowledge that too much sodium can affect blood pressure, but that consistently high intakes may also affect bone mineral density is new information to most people. Minerals in the body are supposed to be in balance, so keeping sodium intake in check for heart health reasons may provide added bone benefits by optimizing our body’s ability to utilize calcium.”

She offers simple, flavorful swaps to make it easier to cut back. “As a flavor enhancer, salt tends to dominate, but herb and spice combinations, chili and other powders that add heat, vinegars, flavored oils, garlic and ginger can all add flavor without added sodium.”

5. Don’t Forget About Vitamin D

Vitamin D plays a key role in calcium absorption, yet most people don’t get enough from food or sunlight alone. While we use sunscreen to protect our skin from wrinkles and damage as we age, it can also limit vitamin D production.

Ward says, “It’s difficult for most women to satisfy the 15 micrograms per day suggested vitamin D intake because very few foods have vitamin D. You should try to eat vitamin D–rich foods every day, such as salmon (sockeye), mushrooms exposed to UV light, fortified dairy and soy milk and breakfast cereal (some yogurt has added vitamin D, too). You can fill in the gap with vitamin D supplements. There’s no need to go overboard on the supplements, however.”

Short, regular bouts of sun exposure combined with vitamin D–rich foods and modest supplementation can help bridge the gap.

6. Prioritize Recovery & Sleep

Rest and recovery are essential for strong bones. During sleep, your body repairs tissues, balances hormones and regulates processes that affect bone remodeling. Hormones play a major role in bone density, especially around menopause when estrogen levels begin to decline.

“The biggest shift for bone health, starting in perimenopause, is decreasing estrogen levels,” says Ward. “Estrogen supports bone by discouraging bone cell breakdown and encouraging new bone cell production. Estrogen also protects bone tissue by suppressing inflammation and oxidation of bone cells, which contributes to a decline in bone density.”

Ward adds, “Nutrition and lifestyle can help offset some of the effects of estrogen loss, but not entirely.” The point is to do as much as you can to reduce bone loss. Ward tells us, “That means not smoking, exercising regularly and following a balanced diet rich in plants that provide isoflavones, magnesium, vitamin K and other nutrients, along with adequate protein, calcium and vitamin D.”

7. Make a Weekly Bone-Check Plan

Strong bones aren’t built overnight. Setting aside a few minutes each week to check in on your movement, meals and self-care can make a lasting difference. Gans suggests making these mini check-ins part of your weekly rhythm. “Ask yourself: Did I move my body and consume enough calcium- and vitamin D–rich foods this week? A quick check like that helps keep bone health at the forefront,” Gans suggests.

Gans also reminds us that progress doesn’t require perfection. “Add calcium-rich foods regularly, stay active most days and get some sunlight for natural vitamin D. Small, steady actions have a much bigger impact than one-off efforts.”

And if you think bone health is just for older women, Gans clears that up: “Bone density peaks between ages 25 and 30, and men also lose bone mass with age. Everyone benefits from protecting their bones early and maintaining healthy habits throughout life.”

Our Expert Take

Consistency counts more than perfection. Bone health depends on everyday actions that add up over time, including nutritious meals, weight-bearing movement, quality rest and regular check-ins with your body. Every week you choose to move, eat well and care for your bones, you’re investing in strength that supports you for life.

As Jackson Blatner reminds us, “Bones are alive, and they can get stronger at any age if you work them.”