How to Prevent Age-related Muscle Loss

By Marcisco Morrison 

From birth until around 30 years of age, your muscles continue to experience growth in size and strength. Somewhere between 30 and 40 years, the body begins to experience a gradual degeneration of muscle strength and function. Without appropriate intervention, on average, your body loses almost three kilos (7 pounds) of muscle every 10 years. The medical term for this condition is Sarcopenia.

Muscle loss has a big effect on your metabolic function, partly explaining why it’s much easier to add on weight as you grow older and much easier for a younger person to lose weight. Loss of muscle mass and strength may lead to reduced endurance, impaired balance and poor walking ability. Combined, these physical factors can lead to more falls, bones that break easily, physical disability and a general lack of independence.

Although Sarcopenia is a natural aging effect, when you take appropriate steps, it is not inevitable as you can strengthen your muscles.

Exercise Your Body

Both strength (resistance) and aerobic (endurance) exercises help adults who are older to improve the health of muscles plus their overall health. While aerobic exercises are most helpful when you want to improve and maintain respiratory/cardiovascular function, strength exercises are good at boosting muscle function, strength, and power. The best results are attained when you combine the two. Exercises become more effective when you couple them with proper nutrition. In particular, resistance exercise is best when combined with higher doses of protein.

Get Enough Protein & Vitamin D

Consuming more protein helps in treating and preventing muscle loss that is age-related. And it is not just the amount of protein eaten, but also the type of protein you are consuming. The fact is that not all protein is equally created, and the type plays a vital role in treating and preventing muscle loss.

Consuming adequate amounts of this vital food ingredient is necessary if you are to build and maintain a healthy and strong muscle mass. It also contributes towards supporting ligaments, tendons, and other body tissue. Muscle atrophy also takes place when your diet is lacking in amino acids required to break down the fibers that support the energy requirements of your body from the consumed proteins.

Deficiency in Vitamin D is associated with Sarcopenia, muscle atrophy, weakness, and low handgrip strength. Vitamin D supplementation alone significantly improves muscle mass, strength, and function in older adults suffering from Sarcopenia even without any exercise intervention.

Omega-3 Fats

These essential Omega-3 fatty acids have been proven to boost everything in your body from mood to heart health. Now a growing body of researchers is also linking these fatty acids with muscle maintenance. How does Omega-3 help? Any inflammation in your body causes muscles break down and Omega-3s are known anti-inflammatory powerhouses. When you eat foods such as walnuts, salmon, as well as omega-3-enriched eggs it gives your body a double nutritional boost: muscle-building amino acids and Omega-3s.

Conclusion

Any level of muscle loss can lead to common annoyances that can range from simply being unable to open a pickles jar to premature aging with more pronounced wrinkling and sunken cheeks. Left unchecked, it potentially can lead to a broad range of health issues later in your life, such as disability and higher mortality risk because of physical frailty.

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Ten Tips for Successful Meal Planning

By Marcisco Morrison 

Meal planning saves not only money but time. In addition, it will save you from lots of stress. Planning saves your kitchen budget as you can plan ahead how much you want to spend weekly on food without having to go with whatever is available at the closest store or buying food on impulse.

There Is No Perfect Plan

You will never find that perfect meal plan that meets every need. Once you have known what you want or work, you can easily tweak your plan as you go along or as needed.

Write Down Goals

This is a vital aspect of planning as it answers questions like how many meals per day are you planning for, what type of meals, are you planning for low-carbs or low-calorie diet? Are you or members of the family on a special diet? After all, it about meal planning, right?

Make A Budget

Decide at the beginning of your week how much goes to groceries. If that is not planned ahead, you will never know exactly how much is consumed in a week or you could end up spending too much on items that are not necessary. This is particularly important if you are operating on a tight budget. It makes no sense to plan for meals if you are to get broke by doing it.

Start A Calendar

The calendar can be on the lines of a Google Calendar that has accompanying notes for each day’s menu. Alternatively, just jot simple notes on your laptop or sticky notes on your fridge door. The most important thing is to have it written down. Writing helps in sticking with your chart or menu.

 

Plan Meals Based On The Season

You will always get the best fresh produce prices during the harvest season. So plan your weekly menu according to the season and what is available on the market. Another tip, the majority of grocery stores tend to have weekly sales on Sundays.

Involve The Family

Involve every family member by asking them for their favorite meals. You can organize the list by different categories such as chicken, beef, fish, vegetarian, crock-pot dishes, side dishes, salads, and soups.

Always Stock The Staples

Staples to always have in the kitchen may include rice, pasta, tofu, frozen veggies, lentils, frozen garlic, olive oil, grated cheese, eggs, lemons, yogurt, and mixed greens/spinach. Spices are very important and must always be available in your kitchen such as curry, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, pepper, chili powder, and of course, salt.

Plan Each Day’s Meals Tighter

Personally, when I forget or unable to plan for family breakfast, lunch together with dinner, I find one meal getting skipped and more likely taking a visit to the drive-thru for a quick fix.

Avoid Overstuffing The Fridge

When your fridge is overstuffed, it’s very easy to become overwhelmed. Things tend to get hidden at the bottom or in the back, others get lost when you need them for today’s recipe. Keep your fridge light and airy, with food items arranged realistically.

Supplement Your Plan

Occasionally, you may find it hard to keep the entire plan running smoothly all week. Consider supplementing your meal plan with a reputable meal delivery service. Look for one that fits with your broad health requirements, flavor preferences, and budget. Meal planning ensures your family has balanced, healthy meals every day and that everybody is getting all the essential ingredients. Similar to all things, the more you practice meal planning, the better you become.

Call us to make an appointment at 551-208-4775 or Visit us at FourFitnessJC.com

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