Keeping and Building Lean Muscle
as You Age
Muscle tone can and often does gradually decline with the aging process. This process of muscle loss is exacerbated by sedentary lifestyles and ‘aches and pains’ than can make moving uncomfortable.
Muscle Tone is not necessarily about bulk or mass, rather more about definition and strength. Maintaining muscle strength is important in helping keep your balance, thus preventing falls and injuries. Muscle tone/strength has a psychological influence, giving you more confidence with movement along with more energy.
Keeping moving will also protect you against such disorders as osteoporosis and degenerative cartilage and joint problems. Having strong well toned muscles keeps you young at heart!
It’s never too late, you may think there have been too many children and too many years to have a six pack tummy. I am here to challenge that! It is possible, but it will take some commitment.
The first step is to get moving, choose an exercise program that is manageable for your current fitness level (always check with your health care provider before commencing a new exercise program).
This may begin with a short walk, or gentle yoga. For those with joint pain or damage the pool may be the best place to begin to get moving without pressuring the joints. Work up to using some hand held weights, which can be increased over time. The primary thing is this daily program becomes part of your habit, so do something each day and add variety by doing different things each day.
Six pack abs begin in the kitchen!
You may have thought they came from crunching it out in the gym? Yes you do need to do some exercise but begin in the kitchen.
5 tips to build lean muscle in the kitchen
Tip 1: Consume nutrient rich foods that are low in calories, high in protein and fiber.
Undenatured whey is the best source of bio-available protein; Isalean shakes have an ideal balance of protein, carbohydrate, fibre along with good fats and a rich source of essential nutrients and enzymes. This provides an excellent source of nutrient dense low calorie food to fuel strong muscles.
Tip 2: Additional protein at night and after a workout
Add an extra dose of undenatured protein to your after work out shake to reduce muscle soreness and stimulate muscle growth.
Tip 3: Get a good nights sleep
Poor sleep has been shown to interrupt the bodies natural processes including metabolism and appetite regulation. Plus it can actually increase appetite- stimulating hormones. Not what you need when you are trying to find those abs under that belly fat….
Tip 4: Supplements help
A good quality supplement program provides the body with essential nutrients and trace elements. Choose these carefully, some are literally lost down the loo. This helps curb cravings. When your body wants something (nutrient) it will send messages that something is needed, the trouble is most people do not recognize what their body is telling them. For example some people confuse a protein craving for a sweet tooth. Some believe they are hungry when they are actually dehydrated. Which brings me to one of my favorite things….keep well hydrated. Drink at least 2 liters of filtered water a day. Yes this is in addition to coffee, tea, soda…just water, add some lemon juice to it if you think you don’t like the taste.
Tip 5: Cleanse away extra body fat
Cleansing is a highly specialized form of intermittent fasting that takes this to a whole other level. A super charged fast! A combination of specific herbs, and nutrients offer deep cellular cleansing second to none. Proper preparation and breaking of a cleanse is important and nutritional cleansing offers such an approach. Deep cellular cleansing flushes toxins at a cellular level, again water will be most useful to send them washing away. Yes you may pee a lot…think of it as peeing your way to health!
A good cleansing regime will release fat stored toxins (no need to hang onto the fat if the toxins are gone) reset food cravings supporting weight loss.
Elite athletes following this program find they improve personal best in their times or weights after a cleanse. We may not be elite athletes but we can adopt some of what they do to help keep our muscles young and strong.