Well have you noticed it? Are you starting to find that it is harder to keep weight off these days? Does it feel like you could eat what you wanted when you were younger but now you just need to walk past a buffet and you put weight on? Well it is not your imagination, it can become harder to stay in shape as we progress through the decades. It is not all bad news though, if you are smart about it there are ways to get in shape and more importantly stay in shape and it is easier than you would imagine….
First of you must know why there is a weight loss problem before you can take action on it. The main reasons why we are more prone to weight gain as we age can mostly be attributed to muscle loss .We lose an average of 5 percent of our muscle mass every 10 years after the age of 35—if we don’t do anything about. Muscle is the most metabolically active tissue in the body. By that we mean that as you are sitting doing nothing your muscles are burning up huge amounts of energy. So it is vital we do whatever is within our controls to preserve this precious tissue.
So here is our guidelines to building and preserving lean muscle thsaty will help kick start that lagging metabolism back into action.
- Never go on a calorie restricted diet as the body compensates for this reduction in calories by burning up muscle.
- Lift weights 2-3 per week and make sure you are continually challenging the body with a variation of exercises.
- We build muscle when we recover so make sure you are getting enough rest and good quality sleep each night to allow your body to get to work on building that precious muscle.
- Eat a protein rich diet, as protein is vital for building muscle
- Limit alcohol as nothing lowers the muscle building hormones quicker than alcohol
There are also other lifestyle factors that can have a big impact on your weight loss and muscle mass; if you are consistently stressed your body will be in a catabolic mode where it will eat away at the muscles. Stimulants like caffeine and cigarettes will also have the same effect
Being stressed also plays havoc with our hormone levels. For males it will lower our testosterone levels and for females it will greatly increase the impact of reaching often exaggerating the symptoms experienced. So aim to keep your stress levels as low as possible and avoid stimulants where possible.
So there you have it, the dreaded middle aged spread is not inevitable. If you are smart about it you can once again turn your body into a fat burning machines like it was in your younger years.
Honestly you will be amazed the difference building muscle will have on your body shape and more importantly how easy it is to maintain your results. Oh and the great thing is no matter what age you are you can still gain muscles. A recent study showed a man in his mid 80’s was able to gain muscle on a well-designed program.
Take action today – we have designed a Fit after 40 program that has helped hundreds of our clients achieve some amazing results that they thought to be way beyond their wildest dreams.
Many of our clients report that they are fitter and stronger now than they have ever been. I f you would like to find out more we are offering a free body transformation session worth £40 but get in touch soon spaces are limited to the first 5 people who inquire.
