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As we age, our bodies undergo significant changes, and building muscle after 40 becomes a real challenge. In fact, many people find themselves grappling with muscle loss, a natural part of aging that has an impact on strength, balance mobility, and overall health. In older years, muscle loss can lead to falls and serious injury for people so preserving muscle is important. This issue isn't just about looks; it's about maintaining independence and quality of life as the years go by.
To tackle this challenge, we need to understand the factors at play and learn how to prevent muscle loss. Let's explore how hormonal shifts affect muscle growth, the role of physical activity in preserving muscle, and the importance of proper nutrition to support muscle building. We'll also look at specific tips and techniques to help you maintain and even increase muscle strength as you enjoy your 40s and beyond.
We all know that testosterone is an important hormone in men, but many might not know that it's also present and important in women. With age this hormone decreases in both men and women, and this decline has a profound impact on muscle mass and overall physical health. Testosterone, often called the fuel for muscle-building, plays an important role in protein synthesis and muscle growth. With lower testosterone levels, a person may notice a decrease in muscle strength and an increase in body fat.
Physical activity plays a major role in preserving muscle mass and strength, especially for individuals over 40. Regular exercise has an impact on muscle function, metabolic health, and overall well-being. Significant to the goal is a combination of both resistance training and aerobic exercise. This combination has been shown to increase muscle strength, and cardiovascular health. Resistance training, particularly with free weights like dumbbells and barbells, is often more effective for muscle building than machines. However, machines can be a safer option for those with balance issues or other limitations.
Aerobic exercise, while primarily known for its cardiovascular benefits, also contributes to muscle preservation. It helps reduce inactivity-induced loss of strength, mobility, and balance, which are vital for performing daily activities safely, especially in older adults.
Whilst moving your body is obviously the most important way to maintain and build muscle, increasing the amount of exercise and weight on your muscles is even better. Increasing the weight used, doing more repetitions, adding more sets to a workout, and taking less time to rest between sets are great ways to challenge your muscles and keep them healthy. Keeping in mind, of course, not to go bonkers when increasing the weight to the workouts to minimize risk of injury.
Making sure to take breaks between workouts to rest muscles is super important. Exercise makes tiny tears in the muscles and during rest time is when the body repairs those tears making the muscle stronger than it was before. That is why taking a day or two in between workouts is so important. It's also important to prevent overstraining and injury.
Protein plays a vital role in maintaining muscle mass and building strength. It's made up of amino acids, essential for constructing and preserving muscles and bones. For individuals over 40, consuming adequate protein becomes even more important. Research suggests that a protein intake of 20 to 30 percent of daily calories is optimal for health, with a minimum of 30 grams per meal. This translates to about 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein daily for every kilogram of target body weight.
Now you may ask, " How the heck am I supposed to eat that much protein everyday?!". Eating meals with protein rich items, such as meat, beans, eggs, ect, as well as taking protein supplements and drinking protein shakes can help get the intake of protein needed.
It’s vital to our health to ensure that we don’t let our muscle mass decline as we age.
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