Muscle is key to good health – here’s how to maintain it after middle age

For most of us, loss of muscle strength and mass are some of the first and most obvious age-related changes we see.

Although it may start out as just a few additional minor aches and pains, it may decrease over time. Muscles Can lead to a number of issues – including poor balance, fraud and loss of independence. It is also associated with a number of health problems, including diabetes and a higher risk of heart disease and even dementia.

Although researchers aren’t entirely sure why muscle mass decreases so much as we get older, the good news is that we know that regular exercise can help reduce this effect. — and may even delay some of this inevitable muscle loss. Regular physical activity has also been shown to reduce the risk of preventable diseases, maintain physical function well into old age, and even improve immune function.

how important is given muscle For our health, the best way to maintain it after 30 is to keep going.

But let’s say you’re someone who hasn’t exercised regularly in a few years, or you’ve never done muscle-building exercises before.

First and foremost, remember that Ageing That doesn’t mean you need to avoid heavy exercise.

Our research suggested that young and older men recovered in a similar manner to heavy muscle-building resistance training, as long as the training was tailored to each participant’s fitness level.

However, it is important to consider your abilities before starting to exercise. A common mistake people make after years (or even decades) of abstaining from training is trying to do what they used to, or doing those first workouts too early. This can lead to injury, so it is important to gradually increase your workouts.

Anecdotally, the best workout plan to follow is the NHS physical activity recommendations for 18-65 year olds. It says people should aim to be physically active on most days, and do muscle-building exercises at least two days per week.

But what kind of muscle-building exercises should you be doing? Well, there are actually a myriad of different types of resistance exercises to choose from, and all are more or less as beneficial as the others.

Cliché People Immediately Think Big, Muscle People Are lifting heavy weights In a gym, but there are many more options.

So if you like to do bodyweight exercises like PilatesUsing resistance bands, or working hard while gardening while lifting a barbell, is what you should aim to do twice a week.

Enjoyment matters a lot, especially if it means keeping up with your new exercise routine.

endurance-based exercise (eg walk, running and cycling) are great for you in many ways, other than just building muscle and improving heart health. There is a very clear link between longevity and doing light physical activity every day.

Research shows that doing more vigorous high-intensity physical activity than recommended is not associated with substantial benefits for longevity (source: Pexels)

However, it’s important not to do too many good stuff — especially high-intensity, resistance-based training. Research shows that doing more vigorous high-intensity physical activity than is recommended is not associated with substantial benefits for longevity.

For clarity, this data does not suggest higher intensity to be negative in terms of health, just that more is not necessarily better.

From a dietary point of view, many older people do not eat enough protein. enough protein Intake is essential for increasing and maintaining muscle mass – even more so if you are exercising regularly. Current guidelines recommend a minimum of 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body mass per day for all adults.

But if you want to build muscle, then you have to double it to 1.6 grams per kg body mass. So a person weighing 70 kg would need to eat about 112 grams of protein per day to build muscle. This would be roughly equivalent to eating a large chicken breast, a protein shakeThree eggs and a can of tuna (though this will vary depending on the products you use, so be sure to check the label).

This appears to be particularly important for physically active older people (over 60 years of age). It is also good to spread the protein you consume evenly throughout the day, to help your body absorb as much protein per meal.

While muscle mass will still inevitably decrease with age, no matter how much you exercise, being physically active is still one of the best ways we can go when it comes to maximizing both good health and fitness and lifespan. We do. And the sooner you make exercise a habit, the better off you will be in old age.

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