Along with protein, keeping and building muscle is getting a lot of attention out in the mainstream world lately and it’s so exciting! 

We’ve talked before about protein and how important it is as the building block for muscle (more on that here). 

Let’s dig a little deeper into muscle!

The Silent Threat: What Is Sarcopenia?

Sarcopenia is the fancy word for muscle loss. It is a natural process that begins in our bodies in our early to mid-30’s.  If you thought it was just women in their 40’s/perimenopause…think again! It’s happening to us earlier than you think! The good news is that it isn’t something to be scared of- it happens to everyone and it is just a part of our bodies aging. The best news is that we can battle it back with lifestyle! 

When we know better, we do better right! Knowing that muscle loss is something we are all going to encounter allows us to be proactive in both protecting our existing muscle and building more of it. 

Muscle Loss Starts Earlier Than You Think

A Harvard study says we lose 3-5% muscle mass per decade which comes to around 4-6 pounds of muscle loss each decade (this is an approximate estimate since body types and builds differ). That is significant, because even if people are monitoring the scale and maintaining weight, if they aren’t doing some sort of resistance training to keep their muscle, that muscle is being replaced with body fat. Yet another reason to not measure everything by that number on the scale!

Protein Alone Isn’t Enough

You’ve heard use it or lose it, right? Well it’s time to use it, ladies!!! If you’ve been around SFM for any length of time, you’ve hopefully got your protein goals on lock. That is a HUGE first step to preserving muscle, but it’s not enough on its own. We need to regularly strength train and USE those muscles in order to keep them! Eating sufficient protein is the building block of muscle. When we follow up eating plenty of protein with strength training, we send those muscles the signal to BUILD!!!!

Why “Lifting Heavy” Is the Game-Changer

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the 3-5 pound weights we all used to use with our at home videos just won’t cut it when it comes to  building muscle. You’re going to have to get under some serious weight on a regular basis and work HARD, but the benefits are immense!!!

What does “lifting heavy” actually mean? We know “heavy” is subjective, but a good way to know is by making sure that you are maxing out– you physically cannot lift that weight another time- at the reps assigned in a workout. The number of reps can vary, but think in the 5-8 rep range. 

Finding Your Fit: How to Get Started with Strength Training

I used to tell clients to find something they love doing and just do that when it came to exercise. That was when I was only running and riding the Peloton bike for fitness. I still love both, but as I grew in my understanding, I realized that I NEEDED to lift weights for muscle preservation, and had to figure out what that would look like. Knowing that my personality meant I would need support and community if I were going to pick up anything heavier than my kids on a regular basis, I turned to CrossFit. I fell in love with the people and the workouts, and it did so much to build my confidence with weights and challenge my own limits among so many other things. It allowed me to get to a place where I was confident lifting on my own, and I now focus on lifting heavy three times a week, and mix in cardio/HIIT training as well during the week.

Stay Fit Mom Workouts

If you’re looking for simple workouts you can do at home (in 30 minutes or less) that will help you combat muscle loss you’ve got plenty of options. Peruse the Stay Fit Mom Workouts archive. We post new workouts every week. If you’re looking for a 6 week program you can follow, find the 6 week at home dumbbell workout program below.

Community, Confidence, and Consistency

The point is- start where you need to start. If you need community and support, recognize that about yourself! We are wired for community, and go further and push harder when surrounded with likeminded people. Group classes are a fantastic place to start! You may choose to stay in that space, or get to the place where you’re ready to hit the weight room on your own. Whatever path you choose, make it one that challenges you to get under heavy weights and grow stronger.

Future You Will Thank You

It’s like eating veggies- we don’t always love to do it, but it’s what will keep us healthy and moving well in the future. Invest in Future You consistently, and Tomorrow You will thank you!

If you liked this post, you might also like What is Progressive Overload and Why Women Benefit From It.