“Weakness is a choice,” is one of our favorite quotes. It simply means: What you choose to do in life, has outcomes. If you make daily decisions and exhibit lifestyle choices that leave you weak in mind, body, or spirit, you’re choosing the resulting outcome. If you exercise, you’ll have a powerful cardiovascular system. If you do resistance training, your muscles and bones will be strong. If you study and challenge your brain, then it will be sharp. If you hold the line, stand firm in your convictions, or test your resolve, then your willpower or fortitude will be indestructible. It is your choice to determine activities or tests that will make you stronger.
The fight against sarcopenia should be one we all wage throughout our lives. Sarcopenia is the scientific term for muscle loss or muscle wasting. It happens to everyone throughout their lifespan. The average person loses 3% of their muscle strength every year after the age of 50. This leads to a significance shortfall of muscle as we approach our 70’s and 80’s. One of the leading causes of death and shortened lifespan is a fall. If bones are brittle, they may break with a fall. This is very hard to recover from in our senior years, and can lead to total systems failure and ultimately death. Loss of muscle, balance, and the ability to move well are all exacerbated by sarcopenia.
Sarcopenia is caused by an imbalance in diet (lack of protein) and a lack of stimulus in the way of exercise and resistance training activities. This condition can be prevented, and to some extent stopped, or slightly reversed, with a few simple steps and plan of action.
Preventing Sarcopenia is something we address in our nutrition system Fast Eat Live directly, by focusing on prescribing enough protein in our clients’ weekly food intake plan. Protein is the building block of muscle and bone, not to mention organs, soft tissue, and cells. Protein is one of the three macro nutrients, and is primary to rebuilding the body’s frame and structure. The other two, fats and carbohydrates, are for energy. Every human needs to prioritize their quality and quantity of protein daily. Men typically carry more muscle mass than women, so a greater protein intake is required. A simple calculation can help you understand how much protein you should get. Calculate 1 gram of protein for every pound of bodyweight, as your goal. So, for a 200 pound man, he should consume 200 grams of protein in a day. This is non-negotiable for our clients, as an increase in daily protein has many positive effects. The more protein you eat, the less fat and carbs you’ll find you eat, because you’ll feel satiated. Therefore, you’ll gain less body fat over time. It will change your body’s composition. Most importantly, it provides your muscle with enough amino acids to help prevent sarcopenia.
The second most important factor to prevent sarcopenia is exercise. Primarily resistance training strengthens muscle. It’s a basic use it or lose it scenario. If you stimulate your body’s hormones to continue to prioritize muscle and strong bones through movement, it will do just that. If you choose not to be active, it will stop assuming you need a strong frame and the muscles to move it. This can be a simple plan of walking daily and adding some mild resistance training to your week. Anything heavier than your bodyweight is considered resistance training. Our fitness company, Ignite Stored Energy, is all about moving your body daily and choosing a simple approach to health for longevity.
This is your call to action. Do you want to be strong and live a long and healthy life? If so, get busy being active and add more protein to your diet. If you need help or more suggestions, contact us through our website fasteatlive.com or ignitestoredenergy.com. We want you to live long and thrive!
