Aging and Muscle Loss
One of the most important aspects of keeping ourselves healthy as we age is ensuring that we keep ourselves active. Most importantly, keeping our muscle mass as dense as we can will help ensure that we are able to continue to engage in physical activity as we get older.
Unfortunately, aging decreases muscle mass. As we get older we lose more and more of our muscle capacity and density. Inactivity especially wreaks havoc on our musculature. The saying ‘use it or lose it’ definitely applies to our muscles.If over time you fail to maintain an active lifestyle in which your muscles are worked, you will eventually suffer from lowered physical capacity. You lose muscles as you age and as such you also lose your capacity to lose fat faster. Because muscle mass is associated with the ability to lose weight or maintain a slim physique, the more muscle we lose the more difficult it is to keep the weight off. Decreased muscle mass thus comes with aging and with it the correlate of a lowered metabolism. A lowered metabolic rate means that it is more and more difficult to keep calories from turning into excess fat.The bottom line is therefore that engaging in a regular strength training regime is key to successfully overcoming the symptoms of aging. If you want to age gracefully you need to keep sweating a little each day. Keeping your body active is the only way to make sure that you are able to meet the physical demands of everyday life as you age. If you want to be one of those glowing and active seniors, you need to start now.Begin with a simple strength training routine that targets the major muscle groups. Alternate between working your lower body at one session (quads, thighs, butt, calves) and the upper body the next (including, arms, back and shoulders). Abdominal exercises and those that target core strength should also be included at least once a week. These will ensure that your back is strong and healthy. Eating well and keeping up a regular fitness routine will ensure that your body keeps pace as you age. While you may not be bopping to your old dance favourites into your senior years, you will be able to enjoy some of your other favourite activities like playing with your grandchildren or keeping your garden in full bloom.
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