How to maintain muscle mass: Diet, Exercises and More

How to maintain muscle mass: Diet, Exercises and More | XpertsReviews.com

Maintaining muscle mass is crucial to staying healthy. Read on to know the right diet and exercise for the same

Having more muscle mass often helps us in more ways than we realize. From maintaining our body weight to decreasing body fat, maintaining muscle mass is essential if you want to live a healthy life. Not only does it help you physically, but it also helps boost your immunity, increase your energy levels, and reduce stress. But how do you maintain muscle mass?

To maintain your muscle mass, strength training is essential. Without weight training, people will see their muscle mass decrease. A study, published in the Muscle, Ligament and Tendon Journal, indicates that muscle strength declines after age 40 by 16.6 percent and 40.9 percent. Read on to learn how to preserve your muscle mass.

What is muscle mass?

Muscle mass refers to the soft muscle tissues of the body and decreases with age. Our body is made up of body fat, muscle mass, bone, and fluid, collectively known as core body mass. Muscle mass specifically refers to the size of our muscles. “It includes skeletal muscles that are responsible for mobility, balance, and strength. They make up about 35% of body weight, depending on factors like gender, height, and workout routine,” says fitness expert Wanitha Ashok.

However, it can be very difficult to calculate muscle mass because it depends on various factors. According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiologythe average muscle mass percentage of women between 18 and 35 years old is 31 to 33, while that of women between 35 and 55 years old is 29 to 31.

Why is muscle mass important for the body?

Here are some of the main reasons why muscle mass is important for our body:

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1. Strength and mobility

Lean muscle mass is necessary for strength and mobility. It contributes to overall strength and functional mobility. These muscles allow us to move, lift objects, and perform daily activities with ease and prevent injuries. A study published in Annals of rehabilitation medicinestates that a reduction in the mobility of our body is caused by a reduction in muscle mass.

2. Decreasing leads to weight gain

Muscles are metabolically active tissues that burn calories even at rest. A decile of muscle mass slows metabolism and leads to weight gain. However, it is important to maintain muscle mass during your weight loss journey. A study, published in Progress in nutritionsuggests that weight loss should be accompanied by a low-calorie diet with adequate protein intake and increased physical activity to maintain muscle mass.

A woman training
In order to maintain your muscle mass, make sure you have good execution of exercises and good alignment. Image provided by: Freepik

3. Protection

Muscles support bones, especially those around joints. Muscles are like shock absorbers, they prevent and protect the joints, and they stabilize the body during physical activities, reducing the risk of injury. American College of Sports Medicinedecreased muscle mass leads to increased risk of falls and fractures

4. Helps fight diabetes

The surprising benefit of muscle mass is that it plays an important role in regulating blood sugar levels, may improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. A study , published in Nutrition and diabetessuggests that less skeletal muscle mass is linked to a higher risk of prevalent diabetes.

Diet to maintain muscle mass

Building and maintaining muscle mass requires a balanced diet and strength training. A healthy diet with enough protein helps support overall health and build lean muscle mass. Adequate protein is needed to build, repair, and maintain muscle at the cellular level. Excess protein can put a strain on the kidneys and increase uric acid levels, so watch your intake. “Aim for 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight. If you weigh 50 kilograms, eat 50 grams of protein every day,” says Ashok.

Include protein with every meal, mix up your protein source every day, and stay consistent. “Consume your protein within 30 minutes of your workout, as this is called the golden hour and absorption of nutrients is optimal,” adds Ashok.

Here are some good sources:

  • Eggs top the list because they contain high-quality protein and amino acids.
  • Salmon provides protein, B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Lean meat, such as chicken breast, is a good source of protein and vitamin B.

Vegetarians can consume complex carbohydrates like oats, brown rice, millet, quinoa and vegetables like broccoli, peas, sweet potatoes, legumes, lentils, sprouts, bread in moderation and tofu.

Exercises to maintain muscle mass

Total body strength training is best for maintaining muscle mass. It is important to aim for 2 to 3 sessions each week. Here are some exercises you can incorporate into your routine every other day. However, it’s good to keep modifying workouts to prevent repetitive stress injuries and muscle memory, says Ashok.

A woman exercising
Make sure to warm up properly before exercising to maintain muscle mass. Image courtesy of Freepik
  • Squats: It is a compound exercise that targets all the muscles of the lower body like the quads, hamstrings, calves and glutes.
  • Deadlift is another compound exercise that works multiple muscle groups, including the back, hamstrings, and core.
  • Bench Press and work upper body muscles like chest, shoulders and triceps. You can use external resistance like dumbbells, physiotherapy balls, mini bands or dumbbells
  • Shoulder pressalso known as Military Press, targets the deltoids and upper arms, you can use the external resistance of your choice or even better vary the resistance.
  • Abdominal workout: Vary between standing, sitting and lying positions. Include different types of sit-ups, planks, and oblique workouts.

Use body weight or external resistance to perform these exercises. Abdominal exercises should be complemented by work on the lower back, the opposite muscle. Here are some exercises for the lower back: cobra, bhujanga, glute bridge, cat and cow, bird-dog and Superman.

It is essential to respect one to two days between sessions to allow for recovery and muscle repair. You must build your sessions gradually and challenge yourself by increasing the weights or repetitions as you get stronger. Too much exercise too soon will leave you tired, injured and you will develop a hatred for exercise.

A full bodybuilding session generally lasts 60 minutes. “Warm-up should not be neglected as it prepares the athlete for the upcoming activity, increases blood circulation, improves performance and prevents injuries,” says Ashok, adding, “A specific warm-up of 5 to 10 minutes with dynamic stretching is recommended. »

For bodybuilding, focus on compound exercises. Try to do 3 to 5 sets of each exercise with 8 to 12 repetitions per set. Progress slowly. If you’re just starting out, one set is enough. Rest between sets for 20 to 30 seconds depending on your fitness level. Spend 5 to 10 minutes doing static stretching to avoid lactic acid buildup and prevent soreness.

Proper exercise execution and alignment are important to achieve results and prevent injuries. You can seek professional help to structure your training and be monitored. Listen to your body, rest well, nourish your muscles and develop them.

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