Introduction

Muscle mass plays a crucial role in our overall health and well-being. Not only does it provide us with strength and power to perform daily tasks, but it also helps to increase our metabolism and improve our body composition.

Having adequate muscle mass is necessary for anyone at any stage of their lives to be able to live their lives to their fullest. Less than optimal mass means being unable to do all the things you want to do as easily as you should.

When we get older, we are often shocked at how hard it is to do some of the things we used to take for granted. As we age, our muscle mass naturally declines, leading to a number of health issues such as decreased mobility and increased risk of injury.

Too often, we take this decline for granted and do not make the connection between reduced muscle mass and our loss of mobility, strength, flexibility, balance, and even our ability to breathe fully and properly.

Fortunately, there are ways to prevent or even reverse this decline. Through proper nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle habits, it is possible to build and maintain muscle mass for improved health and longevity.

While muscle mass loss due to aging is considered ‘normal’, it is not inevitable. You have the power to make changes now that will benefit you for the rest of your life.

The following chapters will give insight into why maintaining muscle mass is so vital to living a full and healthy life.

The Benefits and Importance of Good Muscle Mass

You need ‘good’ muscle mass, and not just for better workout performance.

What most people do not consider is how much their muscle mass plays a key role in their overall health and well-being.

Muscle mass refers to the amount of muscle in your body, which includes your skeletal muscles, smooth muscles, and cardiac muscles.

Muscles are built from water and protein, so when you want to increase muscle mass, it is important to drink plenty of water and include protein in your diet.

Good muscle mass can aid the body when it is under stress, including during recovery from trauma or sickness. It can also help prevent diseases and other health conditions, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

If your muscle mass is poor, or more correctly your muscle mass as a percentage of your total body mass is less than it should be, it can lead to limited physical function, a longer time to recover from illnesses, and negative impacts on your health and longevity.

All in all, poor muscle mass equals reduced quality of life.

What Are The Benefits Of Muscle Mass?

Muscle mass plays an important role in many parts of your overall health. Here are just a few.

Improved Stability and Balance

Good muscle mass can help improve stability and balance. It is particularly important as you age as this is the time when you can become more prone to falling. Falls can lead to serious damage to the hips, wrists, and brain. Falling is a leading cause of death among seniors.

By strengthening your muscles and reversing muscle deterioration, you can keep your body more stable which will greatly help in preventing falls. It can help maintain regular body functions, such as walking and standing Of course, good muscle mass helps you when you need to lift anything.

Strengthening your abdominal muscles and lower back muscles will also provide more stability through improved posture. This helps treat and prevent lower back pain and reduce the risks of muscular and skeletal injuries.

Less Body Fat

High levels of body fat can cause various health conditions like high blood pressure, heart diseases, and inflammation that causes joint pain. This is why it is important to maintain healthy weight levels and lose the excess.

Increased muscle mass can help with burning more body fat. Whereas fat mass is mostly static, muscles consume energy. The faster your body builds muscles, the faster it burns calories and energy. The more muscle mass you have, the easier it is to prevent and reduce unwanted fat storage.

Improved Bone Health

Strength training to improve muscle mass can also assist with better bone health. Strength training helps build bone density, making your bones stronger and reducing the risk of bone loss. Strong bones help prevent osteoporosis and bone decay.

Stronger Immune System

Increasing muscle mass is good for the immune system. Why? Because of the exercise involved in building that muscle mass. If you exercise regularly and include strength training to build better muscle mass, it boosts your immune system. Exercise also has anti-inflammatory effects.

Altered muscle metabolism can help prevent common pathologic conditions and chronic diseases, including age-related dysfunction.

Improved Energy Levels

Good muscle mass can improve your energy levels and make you stronger to more efficiently perform your regular tasks. Strengthening your muscles also has a ripple effect on the rest of the body.

When you exercise, it delivers more oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. It will improve your endurance and help to prevent obesity.

Your heart and lungs also function more efficiently, so you have more energy and vitality to tackle your daily tasks. As you develop your muscle strength, doing your regular daily tasks requires less effort and becomes easier.

Improves Emotional Well-Being

Good muscle mass can also have mental health benefits, improving your psychological well-being. As you build your muscles through exercise, it helps reduce anxiety and dissipate stress hormones. Good muscle mass also enhances your appearance, which can boost your confidence and self-esteem.

Regulated Blood Pressure and Sugar Levels

Exercises for muscle mass such as weight lifting have been found beneficial in regulating blood pressure. They also help to increase the body’s insulin sensitivity, which is a vital factor in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.

In Summary

Good muscle mass plays a key role in your health and overall well-being. More than keeping your body upright, it can help boost your immune system, prevent diseases, strengthen your bones, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve your mental health.

If you have not taken into consideration the importance and benefits of maintaining and increasing your muscle mass, now is the time to start thinking about it and making some necessary changes to achieve it.

Causes and Symptoms of Muscle Mass Loss

Your body’s muscle mass gives it shape, stability, and balance.

Having good muscle mass also provides many health benefits, including improving bone density and giving you more energy.

Unfortunately, you can lose muscle mass naturally as you age because of the disuse of your muscles over time, or due to neurogenic conditions.

Some causes can be reversed through exercise and diet changes, but prevention is always the best and the easiest. That starts with knowing what causes the loss of muscle mass and knowing the signs that there is a problem.

What Are The Common Symptoms of Muscle Mass Loss?

If you are losing muscle mass, you might experience the following.

• Weight loss
• Fatigue and weakness
• Fevers, chills, and night sweats
• Loss of sensation
• Diarrhea
• An extreme change in appetite
• Loss of stamina
• Numbness or tingling in arms and legs
• Loss of balance
• Gradual memory loss.

What Causes Muscle Mass Loss?

Losing muscle mass is normal as you age, but if you suddenly experience significant losses or abrupt changes, it might be due to underlying conditions.

Here are some of the causes of muscle mass loss.

Malnutrition

If you are not achieving healthy nutrition it can lead to loss of muscle mass. This is because the body will begin to burn muscle to make the energy and fuel that it needs for the body to function. Inadequate nutritional intake can lead to insufficient protein in the body, which is essential for building muscles.

Insufficient dietary protein intake can cause muscle injury, particularly in the skeletal muscles. Inadequate hydration may also lead to muscle injury because of compromised blood flow to the working muscles.

You have to ensure that you get enough of all the essential nutrients, such as potassium, iron, magnesium, and zinc, all of which play important roles in muscle metabolism and growth.

Poor Lifestyle and Inactivity

Poor lifestyle habits can lead to loss of muscle mass. If you are sedentary, you could lose the muscles that you do not use. As you may have heard, ‘Use it or lose it.’ This is a very true saying, especially in regards to maintaining muscle mass.

If you sit all day in the office and rarely exercise, you can lose muscle mass. Prolonged bed rest may also cause loss of muscle mass. You might have heard of sarcopenia and muscle atrophy, which are mostly seen in inactive people.

Inactivity may be elective, or it may be forced upon you due to injury or other factors. It is important to ensure that you keep your muscles strong. When you exercise, beware of putting too much focus on only one muscle group. This can lead to the under-use and lack of development of other muscle groups.

Mental Health Issues

Muscle mass loss can also be attributed to psychiatric causes related to your emotions, feelings, behaviors, and cognitive processes. For example, if you have mood disorders, such as depression, you may have a loss of appetite.

If you have an eating disorder, it can also alter your nutritional intake, which leads to muscle mass loss. Overuse of drugs or substances can also cause weight loss and muscle mass loss.

Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is when you have an overactive thyroid, producing excessive hormone thyroxine. This causes metabolic imbalance, unexplained weight loss, and anxiety.

Chronic Diseases or Illness

If you have a chronic disease or systemic illness, you may also experience loss of muscle mass. For instance, advanced cancers can lead to the body breaking down muscles because you need a lot of energy.

The same applies to neurologic deficits. These can alter cognition and cause difficulty in movement, leading to malnutrition and weight loss.

In Summary

While it is natural to gradually lose some muscle mass as you age, abrupt losses can very often be prevented. This can be done by leading a healthy lifestyle, which includes a balanced diet and regular exercise.

By taking care of your overall health and well-being, you can help to avoid developing chronic diseases or illnesses. If you experience the symptoms mentioned above, do not hesitate to consult your healthcare provider.

They may be due to other underlying conditions, which must be detected as early as possible to mitigate the damage they can cause to your health.

Sarcopenia – Muscle and Strength Decline With Age

Are you worried about declining muscle mass?

Do you feel as though you have no muscle strength anymore?

As you age you may gradually lose some of your muscle mass, which is normal and can be largely prevented, but perhaps you have heard of the term ‘sarcopenia’ and wonder what it is all about.

What Is Sarcopenia?

Sarcopenia is a progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass, along with strength and function due to aging. Your body is not producing enough proteins needed to build muscles, so the muscles become smaller. Hormonal changes also happen as you age, which can affect muscle fibers and lead to sarcopenia.

A poor diet and inactivity are huge contributors to this disease. It affects 1 in 10 adults aged 50 years and above and can shorten life expectancy. The rate of muscle loss increases as you age, especially if not detected and addressed.

Common factors that can lead to sarcopenia include obesity, chronic diseases, malnutrition, reduced hormone levels, insulin resistance, and rheumatoid arthritis. One of the common symptoms of sarcopenia is muscle weakness.

Eventually, you could lose your mobility and independence. As the disease progresses as you age, you might need long-term care. Your musculoskeletal system can become frail, making you more prone to falls and injuries.

How Is Sarcopenia Treated?

While sarcopenia can occur naturally, certain practices can help prevent or reverse it, mostly involving lifestyle changes.

Here are a few ways to help prevent and address the problems of sarcopenia.

Regular Exercise and Physical Activities

If you suffer from sarcopenia, one way to manage it and prevent progression is to be more physically active. It is beneficial to engage in progressive resistance-based strength training, which can strengthen your muscles and reverse muscle loss.

Resistance training includes using resistance bands, leg presses, or weightlifting. Resistance exercise creates tension in your muscle fibers, sending growth signals to increase muscle strength and repair muscle cells.

Exercising for fitness is also effective in helping to control sarcopenia. Exercises include aerobic exercise, endurance training, and flexibility training combined with resistance training. Jogging, cycling, hiking, and walking can help reverse sarcopenia.

Healthy Diet

Changing to healthier eating habits and a nutritious diet can also reverse the effects of sarcopenia. You need to increase your dietary protein intake and ensure that you are not deficient in vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin D and creatine.

These are important for muscle growth itself and for optimizing the body’s growth response to exercise. Meat, fish, eggs, poultry, and dairy foods are good sources of protein. Legumes, tree nuts, soy, and yogurt are also protein-packed.

Supplements

As shown above, protein, and vitamins and minerals can help with this condition, so if your diet is lacking, supplements may prove to be beneficial.

Here are a few and how they help.

• Vitamin D can help improve muscle function.
• Creatine supplements help improve muscle strength. (Creatine is a natural substance that is found in our muscle cells.)
• Protein supplements and whey protein are often used to help improve muscle mass.

Other options include testosterone supplements and growth hormone supplements which can help with muscle growth and development.

Signs of Sarcopenia

Sarcopenia has several symptoms, such as a decrease in muscle mass (size) and strength which you may notice in your arms and legs, decreased mobility and fitness, fatigue, and loss of stamina. As a result, you may have increased difficulty doing daily tasks, or walking, or climbing stairs.

Do not simply self-diagnose yourself. Sarcopenia should be diagnosed by your healthcare provider through a physical exam. They will also use a few tests that measure muscle strength and mass. These include a handgrip test, a walking speed test, and others.

In Summary

People naturally lose muscles as they grow older, but they can slow down and even reverse muscle mass loss if they exercise and eat healthy! If you want to prevent or have already been diagnosed with sarcopenia, it is time to make some positive lifestyle changes.

You can prevent further loss and reverse the effects of sarcopenia.

‘Many consequences of sarcopenia are preventable or even reversible. Progressive resistance exercises can produce substantial increases in strength and muscle size, even in the oldest old.’ – Source

It is important to increase your protein intake and exercise regularly using a combination of resistance, fitness, flexibility, and endurance training. These exercises will help your muscles grow and become stronger.

If you have chronic health conditions, always consult your doctor for better guidance on what will work for you the best!

Muscle Mass Aids In Recovery and Improves Health

Did you know that healthy muscle mass is not solely about strength? The health benefits go way beyond that.

Good muscle mass can also aid in recovery from illness and help you improve your health and overall well-being.

It can help lower the risk of chronic diseases, provide better metabolic health, strong bones, and a longer life span.

Let us take a look at some of the ways healthy muscle mass can improve health.

Improving Immune System

Your muscles store amino acids that the body uses when you fall ill or are injured. If you have good muscle mass, your body can more easily fight infections and recover from injuries.

Muscles also produce compounds that are essential in creating and distributing immune cells. If you work on building your muscles through exercise, you also benefit from its anti-inflammatory effects. Regular exercise improves immune regulation.

Muscle building increases blood flow, allowing immune cells to circulate better throughout the body to fight infections. Exercise also improves the function of the lymphatic system, which gets rid of waste and toxins in the body.

Regulating Blood Sugar Levels

The brain and body use glucose from the blood to satisfy energy demands. However, persistently high blood sugar can lead to diabetes and other complications. The hormone insulin regulates the levels of blood glucose, causing muscles to uptake the excess glucose from the blood.

If your muscle cells become insulin-resistant, insulin can no longer stimulate the muscle cells to clear your blood glucose. When this happens the body produces more and more insulin to achieve the same degree of effect it previously did.

It can get to the point that the body can no longer produce enough insulin to make the muscle cells respond as they should, so blood sugar remains persistently and dangerously high, ultimately leading to type 2 diabetes.

Good muscle mass means better muscle metabolism that can help moderate the increases in sugar levels and prevent related diseases.

Supporting Bone Health

Muscles also support bone health, making them stronger and dense. When the muscles contract and grow stronger from exercise, there is more mechanical pull on the bones that strengthen them and increase their density.

Alternatively, if you do not exercise, the muscle weakens, and the mechanical force on the bones also decreases. You end up losing muscle mass and weakening your bones.

There is a correlation between muscle mass and bone mineral content and density. Keeping your bones healthy and strong depends on maintaining good muscle mass and function, especially as you grow or age. It also plays a key role in preventing osteoporosis.

Fighting Chronic Diseases

The skeletal muscles play a big role in many body functions, from providing you strength and endurance to maintaining whole-body metabolic health. That is why it is so important to stay physically active.

A lack of exercise and other physical activities can cause insulin resistance and muscle loss, both of which can increase obesity and related problems. All these factors can cause or contribute to the development and worsening of chronic diseases.

Healthy muscle mass and regular physical activities can prevent their development and progression.

Increasing Lifespan

Increasing muscle mass can also help increase your survival rate, especially if you suffer from chronic conditions. The benefits of maintenance of muscle mass have been well-documented for improving health and longevity.

In Summary

Muscle mass aids in recovery from illnesses and improves health. It is crucial to recognize the importance of maintaining your muscle mass, regardless of age. If you are approaching your senior years, it is even more important!

While it is normal for you to lose some muscle mass as you age, you can prevent an accelerated rate of muscle loss when you take proper care of your body. Strive to be physically active.

Strength training, combined with aerobic exercise, is important for building your muscles and keeping your bones strong. Of course, you also have to eat a healthy diet and make sure that you have adequate protein intake, along with essential vitamins and minerals.

These actions and behaviors allow the muscles to perform their designated functions throughout the body, as well as preventing the development and progression of infections and many illnesses.

Exercise To Build Muscle Mass and Increase Strength

You need good muscles to be strong and healthy. That is a given.

However, as you age, it gets harder to build and maintain muscles, which is why you may succumb to muscle mass loss.

Exercise is one of the keys to maintaining your muscle mass, and also one of the best ways to keep building your muscles and strength as you age.

Now, if you are thinking that means you have to take yourself off to the gym and start pumping weights, that is not the only way!

Listed here are some exercises that you can do to build muscle mass, regardless of your age, and most of them do not need special equipment and can be done at home.

Squats

The squat is one of the best exercises to help you build muscle mass and strength in your lower body. This works on multiple muscle groups, especially the glutes, thighs, hamstrings, lower back, and quadriceps.

When you do squats, you are engaging a large amount of muscle tissue, stimulating the production of hormones that promote muscle growth throughout the whole body.

Push-Ups

Push-ups are excellent for building upper body strength and muscles in your chest, triceps, shoulders, and back. Push-ups can also build and strengthen lower back and core abdominal muscles. It can help to develop better body composition.

Start with a few reps, do it daily, and increase the number gradually. You can begin with the basic incline push-up, then explore other variations to make it more challenging.

There are rolling push-ups, push-ups with hip abduction, knee push-ups, wall push-ups, decline push-ups, weighted push-ups, and one-arm push-ups. Choose the ones you like to do!

Basic Bridge

The basic bridge is a good exercise that can help strengthen the glutes, lower back, hips, and abdominal muscles. It looks simple, lying on your back with knees bent and bottom raised, but it actually requires a lot of energy.

When done properly, the bridge can strengthen the muscles around your spine and improve your posture. Bridges can also improve balance, relieve back and knee pain, and boost flexibility.

Brisk Walking

Strength training to build muscles is even more beneficial when combined with aerobic exercises. Brisk walking is a moderately intense aerobic exercise to help your body become stronger. It can help you improve your walking speed, especially when you reach past 65.

So instead of your walking pace declining, it will get faster! Do brisk walking for 20 to 30 minutes daily. It can help to relieve stiff joints, allowing you to move around more easily. It will also help increase flexibility in the muscles around the joints and help prevent osteoporosis.

Planking

Planking works on your entire core, from your shoulders to your pelvis, right down your legs. Planks help develop your abdominal muscles, rectus abdominus, oblique muscles, and glutes.

A stronger core helps keep your spine properly aligned, giving you good posture and preventing injuries. It also helps prevent osteoarthritis, a decline in mobility, and neck, back, and shoulder pain.

Swimming

Swimming is a cardiovascular fitness exercise that is great for strengthening your muscles. It is a whole-body workout that provides excellent stimulus for muscle growth. Swimming exposes your muscles to the resistance created by your movements in the water, promoting muscle growth and development.

Your shoulders, abs, legs, back, and triceps are consistently worked when you swim regularly. It also has a very low impact on bones and joints, so it is popular among seniors with arthritis or osteoporosis.

Yoga

You might think that yoga is for flexibility, fitness, and stress management. However, yoga exercises are great for building your muscles. In yoga, there are weight-bearing poses that can help strengthen bones and muscles.

As your heart rate increases, yoga also increases your muscle tone for better balance and flexibility, helping you avoid future injuries.

Resistance Band Workouts

Resistance training is among the chief exercises for building muscle mass. Using resistance bands, you can work out at home and tailor your movements based on your fitness level.

You can work on different parts of your body, exposing them to progressively increased resistance, and stimulating muscle growth. For seniors, resistance band workouts are an excellent low-impact alternative to weightlifting. It is a safer way to build muscle and bone strength.

In Summary

Building your muscle mass and increasing your strength does not mean you have to go to the gym and lift weights. It also does not mean engaging in intense workouts, which may be more difficult when you get older.

The exercises mentioned above are ideal for beginners, so start as soon as possible and improve your muscle mass and health!

Combine a High Protein Diet and Exercise

What does it take to build muscle mass and increase your strength? You have probably heard you need to go to the gym and pump weights and eat more protein or take protein powder shakes. This is correct to some degree, but not an absolute!

Protein-rich foods and weight training do build muscle, but the important thing is that you pay attention to your diet and physical activities. Proper nutrition and the right exercises are very effective in building and strengthening your muscles.

The Importance of Protein In Your Diet

Proteins are the foundation for muscle growth. They are converted into amino acids in the body. The body uses these amino acids to synthesize new muscle tissue. There are several amino acids required for muscle growth, but nine of them cannot be produced by the body and must be obtained from dietary sources.

This is why a diet rich in various amino acids is ideal for muscle growth. The body also uses protein to repair damaged muscles. During exercise, muscle fibers become damaged, which is what triggers the growth of new and stronger muscle. Protein repairs the tears and promotes healing and growth.

As it is natural for us to lose some of our muscle mass as we age, a high-protein diet helps preserve muscle mass and reduce muscle loss. Protein can help improve muscle performance too, so you can work out more and recover from exercise more quickly.

Why Exercise Is Important for Muscle Growth and Strength

Although vitally important, protein alone is not enough to build muscle mass and strength. You must combine it with exercise to be more effective. Why?

Our bodies only create muscle in response to demand. If we don’t use it or need it, the body won’t waste effort in creating more of it.

Exercise stimulates muscle protein synthesis, and the consumption of protein can further enhance this effect. Eating adequate amounts of protein, especially after resistance exercise, can help to build and repair muscle tissue. Every workout creates small tears in the muscles, and combined with protein, leads to the building of stronger, larger muscles.

Resistance training, like weightlifting, resistance bands workout, and push-ups creates mechanical tension in the muscle fibers. When the tears are repaired, the muscle fibers grow back stronger. Exercise also stimulates the production of hormones, such as testosterone and growth hormones, which aid in muscle growth and repair. Also, exercise can cause metabolic stress.

This is when your muscles become fatigued, meaning that they have used up all the stored energy to cause contractions. That sends signals for the cells to regrow, but this time, they become stronger and bigger.

Essential Reminders on Diet and Workout Plans

Protein only needs to make up 10 to 15% of your diet. That means you need other key nutrition and diet elements. These include consuming the right complex (healthy) carbohydrates and healthy fats. Do not just eat all protein foods! That is not sustainable or healthy. As for exercise, doing the right exercises can help you build muscle mass and strength more effectively.

You can focus on resistance training, such as weightlifting or bodyweight training. Target different muscle groups to ensure balanced growth, strength, and endurance. It is also important to give your body time to rest and recover. You might be tempted to work out every day, especially if you start seeing results. It certainly can be addictive!

However, you must give yourself rest days to give your muscles a chance to recover and grow. You do not need to rush. Muscle growth can take time, and that requires patience. Do not feel discouraged if you do not see significant improvements after a few weeks of working out and modifying your diet with increased protein intake.

In Summary

The combination of exercise and a high-protein diet provides the right combination for muscle growth and strength. Each component supports and enhances the other. You must have adequate protein intake and your diet must also include complex carbs, healthy fats, and essential fatty acids. Do not forget the water either!

Doing the right exercises for muscle building and strengthening is also crucial. Focus on strength training that can create mechanical tension and metabolic stress. They create small tears on the muscle fibers every time you work out, and when they are repaired, the results can be seen! They also feel stronger and look bigger.

Build Muscle Mass with These High-Protein Foods

Nutrition plays a crucial role in building your muscle mass, and a great place to start is with high-protein-rich foods.

Protein is an essential nutrient that is important for building and repairing tissues in the body and is also responsible for many aspects of our health.

Many foods are rich in protein, including animal-based foods such as meat, eggs, and dairy products.

For vegetarians, many protein-rich plant-based foods can provide the body with the necessary amino acids. Some examples of protein-rich plant-based foods include lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, tofu, tempeh, edamame, nuts, and seeds.

These foods can be great sources of protein for vegetarians and vegans. Whether you choose to get your protein from animal-based or plant-based sources, they will assist in helping you build your muscle mass.

Below are some examples of high-protein foods that you can add to your diet.

Animal Based High Protein Foods

Chicken Breast

Chicken breast is one of the most popular protein sources for people looking to build muscle mass. It is lean, low in fat, and contains other nutrients, such as iron, zinc, niacin, and vitamin B6. A 100-gram serving contains approximately 30 grams of protein.

Eggs

One large egg contains 6 grams of protein, so eggs are a great source of high-quality protein. Eggs are also a good source of vitamins D, B6, and B12, as well as iron, zinc, and selenium. Importantly, eggs contain omega-3s and branched-chain amino acids (all nine amino acids).

Eggs are a super protein bomb, so make sure you include these in your diet.

Greek Yogurt and Milk

Greek yogurt has about 16 grams of protein in a 170 grams or 6-ounce serving. It is also low in fat and rich in calcium. Yogurt contains a mix of whey protein and casein protein that are good for digestion.

This combination of slow and fast-digesting proteins makes Greek Yogurt a good snack after your strength training.

Like yogurt, milk contains fast and slow-digesting proteins that are beneficial for muscle growth. One cup of full-cream milk contains about 12 grams of carbs and 8 grams of protein.

Fish – Tuna and Salmon

Tuna is a lean source of protein, with about 25 grams of protein in a 3-ounce, or 84-gram serving. It is rich in vitamins A and B, like B12, B6, and niacin.

Tuna is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which aids in building muscle mass and strength and has anti-inflammatory effects.

Omega-3s has been shown to slow down muscle decline and function. Salmon contains about 22 grams of protein in a 3-ounce serving. Like tuna, it is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. It also contains vitamin D and B vitamins.

Lean Beef

Lean beef has about 26 grams of protein in a 100-gram serving. It is also a good source of iron, zinc, and selenium, which are essential for recovery and energy, and of course, building and maintaining healthy muscle mass. A 100-gram serving also contains vitamin B12, which is an essential B vitamin.

Plant-Based Proteins

Lentils and Tofu

Lentils are a good source of plant-based protein, with about 18 grams of protein in a 1-cup serving. They are also high in fiber, low in fat, and rich in a range of amino acids. They are also a good source of carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals that are essential for building muscle mass and strength.

Tofu is another great source of plant-based protein. It has 6 grams of protein per 3-ounce serving. It is rich in calcium and iron, which are both important in promoting muscle growth and bone health.

Tofu also supports weight loss, and soy protein is considered one of the highest-quality proteins from plants.

High Protein Nuts – Almonds and Peanuts

There are many delicious high-protein nuts you can add to your diet, but here are two that are popular and delicious. Almonds contain 7 grams of protein in a 35-gram serving and peanuts contain 8 grams of protein.

Eating nuts can give you the extra nutrients and calories needed to build your muscles. Peanuts also contain magnesium, which is beneficial in enhancing exercise performance and post-workout muscle relaxation.

In Summary

A protein-rich diet is essential for building muscle mass, but remember that it is important to incorporate a balanced diet with various nutrients and enough calories to support muscle growth.

You need to eat healthy foods that contain protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and a range of vitamins and minerals to give you energy, avoid fatigue, and support recovery.

Start with the list above, and do not hesitate to explore other healthy foods. Also, remember that a healthy diet and high-protein foods are not enough to build muscle!

You also need to incorporate strength training or resistance exercises, such as lifting weights and doing push-ups, which promote muscle growth and strength!

Carbohydrates and Healthy Fats For Building Muscle

Proteins are the most crucial micronutrient for building muscle mass, and that has been well established, but what about carbohydrates and healthy fats?

Are they also important for building and maintaining muscle mass?

They certainly are! The common misconception about carbs and fats when building muscle is often negative, but it shouldn’t be.

Let us discuss why you need carbohydrates and healthy fats to grow and maintain muscle mass.

Why You Need Carbs to Build Muscle

Carbohydrates are not bad when you build up your muscles. You may need to adjust the types of carbohydrates you consume. This means you need to make sure you eat the right amount of complex carbohydrates, such as fruits and vegetables, and not consume simple carbs such as bread and biscuits.

Carbs Are A Good Source Of Energy In The Form Of Calories

Gaining muscle requires a lot of energy. Unlike simple carbs, complex carbs provide a steady source of energy, so you can sustain your energy for a longer time, such as when you work out. Some good sources of complex carbohydrates are beans, vegetables, and fruits.

Carbs Replenish Stored Glycogen

Glycogen is an important source of fuel during intense exercises, such as strength training. So, when you want to gain and maintain muscle mass, you need carbs. Carbs help prevent glycogen depletion because carbs help replenish the body’s stored glycogen.

If you are trying to build up your muscle mass, you may not want your glycogen to deplete too much, because the body will turn to fats and protein to burn for energy needs when there is not enough.

Burning excess fat stores is beneficial if this is part of your exercise goal. However, if you are in a lean state and have no fat stores, the body may start to catabolize existing muscle for energy requirements if carbs are not sufficient to do so.

While this may not be a problem for many, those who have a low body fat ratio and are engaging in high-expenditure workouts must ensure adequate nutrition intake, including complex carbs. As always, balance is the key to good health and muscle mass.

Carbs Help In Muscle Recovery

Exercising causes small tears in the muscles, which grow bigger and stronger when repaired. Consuming carbs after your workout can help muscles recover from exercise by repairing the tears and preventing muscle loss. It also helps restore immune function and avoid fatigue.

Why You Need Healthy Fats to Gain Muscle

When you want to gain muscle and improve your muscle mass, you may also be wanting to shed excess body fat. For many, this is where the trouble begins. Their first instinct is to avoid all kinds of fat. They believe eating fat equals gaining body fat, and this is not true.

Promotes Hormone Production

One of the key ways in which healthy fats help build muscle mass is by promoting the production of testosterone and growth hormones. These hormones are essential for muscle growth and repair, and diets high in healthy fats can increase their production.

Healthy Metabolism

Healthy fats are also important for maintaining a healthy metabolism, which is essential for building muscle. When you eat healthy fats, your body uses them to produce energy and maintain hormone levels, which helps to keep your metabolism running smoothly.

This can help you to burn body fat and build muscle more efficiently.

Good Fats Increase Good Cholesterol

Increasing healthy fats in your diet can also increase good cholesterol. This prompts an increase in growth hormones, which are important for building muscle. It supports the production of more amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein.

Fats Help Store The Right Vitamins and Minerals

Healthy fats help the body absorb and store essential micronutrients beneficial for muscle growth. Additionally, healthy fats are important for promoting recovery after workouts. They can help to reduce inflammation and muscle soreness, which allows your muscles to recover more quickly and efficiently.

Including healthy fats in your diet is important for building muscle mass. Some examples of food that contain healthy fats are avocados, olive oil, nuts and seeds, fatty fish, eggs, and salmon.

In Summary – Find The Balance

Complex carbohydrates and healthy fats are as important as proteins when wanting to build muscles and maintain muscle mass. The key is consuming balanced ratios through a healthy diet.

It is important to consume complex carbohydrates to replenish your stored glycogen, and your diet must include healthy fats. You need carbs as a primary source of energy, while fats allow the body to absorb and store essential micronutrients.

Then, protein is converted into amino acids, the building blocks of muscles.

Carbs and fats can help prevent fatigue and muscle loss. They can also aid in muscle recovery and improve your body composition.

How Healthy Muscle Mass Boosts Longevity

Do you want to live a long, healthy life?

What a question, of course, you do!

Well, one of the keys to living longer may lie in something you might not expect – your muscles!

Strong, healthy muscles can help boost your longevity and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. As you age, it is common to lose muscle mass, which can contribute to a wide range of health problems, such as reduced mobility, balance, and flexibility.

The good news is that you can take simple steps to maintain and build muscle mass so that you can enjoy a higher quality of life and add precious years to your lifespan.

Benefits of Building Muscle Mass and Improving Longevity

Let us take a look at how healthy muscle mass can improve your longevity.

Prevents Sarcopenia (Muscle Loss)

It is natural to gradually lose muscle mass as you age, but you may also suffer from more extreme conditions, such as sarcopenia, or muscle loss. This is common among the elderly, where you can lose function, mobility, and independence because of the gradual loss of muscle mass.

Sarcopenia can also take years off your life. Muscle mass is important for your body’s stability, particularly for the hips and shoulders. Losing stability could make you more prone to falls, and if you also have low bone density, falls can lead to fractures.

What is worse, is some breaks, such as a broken hip, can increase mortality risk, particularly among senior-aged people. Sarcopenia can be prevented, and it is also possible to reverse it through exercise, such as resistance and strength training.

So do not wait until you are older. You can start at any age!

The younger you start the better, because prevention is always easier than trying to reverse the adverse effects of muscle loss.

Reduces Risk of Chronic Diseases

Muscle mass plays an important role in reducing the risk of chronic diseases, which are a leading cause of death. For example, the heart is a muscle and if you maintain healthy muscles, your heart will have a better chance of remaining healthy too.

The most effective way to avoid muscle atrophy is to engage in resistance training to build muscles, which in turn provides many wanted benefits. Resistance training such as strength training can help lower the risk of chronic inflammation, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Increasing muscle mass can improve insulin sensitivity to help maintain normal blood sugar levels. This is important in reducing the risk of developing metabolic health issues such as type 2 diabetes.

Keeps You Functioning Optimally Into Your Senior Years

Most people would say that if they can reach their senior years and be living independently, able to maintain their body and mental functions, and still able to do what they want, they would be happy.

Maintaining a healthy muscle mass can help you get there. Healthy muscle mass can help you function well into your later years by improving your bone health, sense of balance, and flexibility.

That way, you can avoid devastating bone breaks, keep yourself from falling, and avoid asking family members to take care of you, or worse, having to send you to a nursing home.

Healthy muscle mass allows you to maintain your movement, as your skeletal muscles which are attached to your bones, tendons, and ligaments, are still healthy and able to move freely. Healthy muscle mass can also prevent osteoarthritis, which has been attributed to low muscle mass.

Help Avoid Depression and Live Happier

Building muscle mass can have a very positive impact on your emotional health by reducing the risk of developing emotional health problems such as anxiety and depression.

This is because exercising your muscles helps to reduce stress and sleep well, both of which help you live longer!

Strength training can also boost your mood and immune system, as well as increase your self-esteem. Plus, if your emotional health is good, you will live a happier life, and happy people tend to live longer.

In Summary

As you can see, muscle mass can improve your longevity. If your muscle mass is optimal, you can reduce the risks of developing many chronic diseases, which are among the leading causes of death.

You can prevent muscle loss and maintain your function in later years. Regular strength training, which is important for building and maintaining muscle mass, contributes to healthy aging and maintaining a high quality of life.

If you have good muscle strength, you will function at a much higher level for longer!

Healthy Ways to Build Muscle Mass

Do you want to enhance the quality of your life and keep your independence as you age? If so, building your muscle mass is one of the keys to achieving that goal. There are many benefits to building muscle mass, and we are not only talking about looking fit and strong.

Healthy muscle mass can help you avoid chronic illnesses and even extend your life expectancy. This is why it is worth making lifestyle changes and developing new habits to build and maintain muscle mass.

Here is what you can do to get started.

Follow a Healthy, Nutritious Diet

One of the best places to start is your diet. For any ‘body’ to be healthy, diet and nutrition are important, and should be on the top of the list. You need to include protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats.

Consume Protein-Rich Foods

Your body needs protein to build muscle mass. It breaks down protein-rich foods into amino acids, the building blocks of the muscle. The easiest way to get the right amount of protein each day is to eat protein-rich foods every meal.

Choose from foods such as red meat, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy, lentils, tofu, and nuts. You may also drink protein shakes if you do not consume enough protein from your food.

Consume Complex Carbohydrates

When building muscles, many people think they have to reduce their carb intake and focus only on protein. You need both. Without going into too much detail, you need to consume carbohydrates for optimal health! You cannot live on only protein.

What is important are the types of carbs you consume.

Fruits and vegetables are good sources of complex carbohydrates that can give you a stable source of energy to fuel your activities.

Consume Healthy Fats

You also need to eat healthy fats to support your muscle growth. It helps improve body fat loss, as well as fuel your body during moderate-intensity exercise. Fatty acids also play a key role in producing the structural component of cell membranes, including muscle cells.

You can get healthy fats from oily fish like tuna and salmon, avocado, vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds.

Nutrition – Vitamins and Minerals

When building and maintaining muscle mass, it is also essential to ensure that you get proper nutrition. Aside from the macronutrients – protein, carbs, and healthy fats – you also need calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, potassium, glutamine, vitamin B12, and iron.

If your meals are not as balanced as they could be, nutritional supplements may be helpful.

Keep Yourself Hydrated

Make sure that you keep yourself hydrated! This is so important! Your body and muscles need water. You cannot grow muscle without plenty of water. If you are exercising to build muscle mass, exercise causes water loss as you sweat.

So if you do not replace that water, it could affect your muscle mass and your muscle recovery.

Do Regular Resistance and Strength Training

Regular resistance and strength training builds muscle mass. They create stress and small tears in the muscles, which grow bigger when they heal. These exercises also increase your metabolic rate and strengthen the muscles around your joints to improve your balance and stability.

Aim to lift weights and perform a resistance routine two to three times a week for 30 minutes each session.

Go Walking Every day

Walking is one of the simplest exercises you can do, and it is a very effective one for building and maintaining muscle mass.

It increases your mobility, improves blood flow, and improves your body’s response to insulin. All these can help with muscle repair and recovery. Have you ever watched a person walk by your house day after day, week after week?

Over the weeks did their posture, speed, and fitness improve? Of course it did! That’s the power of walking.

Manage Your Stress Levels

Your mental well-being can affect your muscle mass growth and maintenance. It can affect many areas of your health. Chronic stress is a silent killer! It can also reduce muscle strength, which is why it is important to reduce the stress in your life. Less stress will help you live longer too.

Get Plenty of Quality Sleep

Growing and maintaining muscle mass also requires good sleeping habits. Unfortunately, sleep is often overlooked. Lack of sleep can increase the release of catabolic hormones, which causes a decline in muscle mass and strength.

You need to aim for at least 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep at night, but the more the better. It is also when you are sleeping that the restorative growth hormones are released. So sleep and enjoy the benefits.

In Summary

Building muscle mass is not limited to just eating protein-packed meals and lifting weights. You need to take care of your entire health and well-being. This includes your diet and nutrition, the quality of your sleep, your mental health, and more.

Make the lifestyle changes necessary and start feeling healthier, looking better, and standing strong for many years to come. It doesn’t take too much effort to have healthy muscle mass for the rest of your life!

Conclusion

Building and maintaining muscle mass is an essential part of achieving optimal health and well-being for everyone, but especially as we grow into our senior years.

It not only provides us with strength and power, but it also helps to improve our metabolism and body composition. By following the tips and strategies outlined in this eBook, you can start your muscle-building journey and achieve your fitness goals.

Incorporating resistance training into your workout routine, whether through bodyweight exercises, weightlifting, or other forms of strength training, can help you build muscle mass and improve your overall health.

While you can certainly join a gym, and get assistance from personal trainers and dieticians, you can take this journey at home, on your own if you want. You can do strength training exercises using little or no equipment, just by using your own body weight.

Prioritize proper nutrition, exercise, and rest, as they all play a critical role in muscle growth and development. Remember to be patient, consistent, and dedicated, and the results will come.