Resolve to Get Strong!

If you want to do one thing this year that will improve your health, body composition + lifespan then commit to building muscle!! Here is why!

Women generally have less muscle than males especially in our upper body. After the age of about 30 adults can lose between about 3-5% per decade + we are particularly vulnerable as we transition into menopause due to the reduction in oestrogen. Late perimenopausal + postmenopausal women also had a greater likelihood of having sarcopenia (this is muscle loss) compared to early perimenopausal or premenopausal women. We need to work hard to maintain it + build it!

Maintaining your skeletal muscle is essential not just because it means you can lift heavy things + do all the things you love, but literally because your life depends on it!! Research has shown that in studies of adults older than 65 mortality risk is significantly increased in women with low muscle mass in their arms + legs.

A 2022 study of more than 1200 women + men ages 40 + older found that skeletal muscle mass is a better predictor of mortality than BMI or fat mass.

Muscle is health protective on so many levels. It can help manage blood sugar levels + lowers the risk for insulin resistance. We ideally want to aim to keep blood sugar stable throughout the day to avoid sugar spikes. High blood sugar levels can lead to insulin resistance + cause type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure + cardiovascular issues.

Increased muscle mass can really help improve our metabolic health meaning we can manage weight better + reduce visceral fat. Muscle is metabolically active tissue meaning it burns calories even at rest!

Muscle loss also impacts our bone health. A decline in muscle mass can weaken bone + increase the risk of fractures + conditions like osteoporosis.

Build Muscle!

If you are serious about optimising your health span + lifespan, resistance training is non-negotiable. It’s important that your regimen includes lifting weights to help stimulates muscle stem cells to help you make and maintain muscle. If you’re new to weights, it is important to ensure you move with correct form + build up a foundation of muscular endurance after which you can start increasing your weights.

Squats, deadlifts, lunges, push press, rows + bodyweight exercises like push ups + pulls ups, are all great compound exercises that work the major muscle groups, connective tissues + joints + help build muscle! We do include these exercises in FITNESS BITES every week, so get in touch if you want to resolve to get strong this year!