Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age • Hacker News Board

Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#51

Post by andy_ppp » Wed, Sep 12, 2018, 2:02 PM UTC

christophilus wrote: post #24

lysp wrote: post #14

I always like to show this picture as an example. https://i.imgur.com/ZcDedfo.jpg I don't have an original source but it shows a MRI leg scan comparison between a 40yo triathlete, a sedentary 70yo and a 70yo triathlete. The picture tells the story...

Yeesh. That's a great visual. I'm a sedentary software engineer... gotta make some changes. It reminds me of the cancer slides in the "How Not to Die" talk https://youtu.be/7rNY7xKyGCQ?t=780 which is partly why I'm now vegan.

Love the talking style of the speaker as well as the terrifying content!

Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#52

Post by gonzo » Wed, Sep 12, 2018, 2:02 PM UTC

rohunati wrote: post #42

matwood wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most people have no idea I'm 41, and instead think I'm in my 30s. Balding and grey hair show I'm not in my 20s ;) My 'secret' is I workout every single day . I might do heavy weight training, sled pushing, surfing, or a spin class. It doesn't matter as long as I do something physically challenging. I also follow an 80/20 rule on eating paleo-ish. Mainly I try to avoid processed foods, but I'll still eat a pizza or go…

Curious about your breakdown between heavy lifting vs. cardio. I find that I can't do more than 4x/week of heavy lifting, so I've been trying to run (or something else) on the remaining 3 days.

recovery is a thing. I also lift heavy 4x/week.

Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#53

Post by fahadkhan » Wed, Sep 12, 2018, 2:03 PM UTC

amelius wrote: post #44

lysp wrote: post #14

I always like to show this picture as an example. https://i.imgur.com/ZcDedfo.jpg I don't have an original source but it shows a MRI leg scan comparison between a 40yo triathlete, a sedentary 70yo and a 70yo triathlete. The picture tells the story...

You should also show the brain scans of the triathlete versus a sedentary computer programmer.

You missed a triathlete computer programmer.

Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#54

Post by rerx » Wed, Sep 12, 2018, 2:04 PM UTC

stochastic_monk wrote: post #49

matwood wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most people have no idea I'm 41, and instead think I'm in my 30s. Balding and grey hair show I'm not in my 20s ;) My 'secret' is I workout every single day . I might do heavy weight training, sled pushing, surfing, or a spin class. It doesn't matter as long as I do something physically challenging. I also follow an 80/20 rule on eating paleo-ish. Mainly I try to avoid processed foods, but I'll still eat a pizza or go…

I don’t do paleo or low carb or any fancy diet besides eating plenty of protein and calories. The key for me is regular, heavy strength training. I exercise 3-6 days a week, all compound lifts, at high weight/moderate (3-7) reps. More than just managing my physique, I find it immensely helpful for my mental health and general well-being. I’m not the biggest or most shredded guy in the gym, but the focus on strength k…

At which age did you start to lift?

Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#55

Post by inawarminister » Wed, Sep 12, 2018, 2:05 PM UTC

ubermonkey wrote: post #34

ZOMG find something to do, and keep doing it. Cycling is very nerd-friendly. There are numbers and gadgets and even what amounts to an MMO in Zwift.

Huh, Zwift sure looks like something I'd be into

I'll guess I'll save up for one of their rollers?

Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#56

Post by jimijazz » Wed, Sep 12, 2018, 2:05 PM UTC

TL;DR Lift weights in repetitions in a mid-intense way.

Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#57

Post by atomical » Wed, Sep 12, 2018, 2:05 PM UTC

doctorcroc wrote: post #5

atomical wrote: post #2

Notice that there is no mention of diet because diet doesn't matter that much as long as there is a surplus. The body is pretty amazing.

This is an extremely ignorant comment. In what other system would you ever say, "the inputs are irrelevant provided you supply enough volume"? Diet absolutely matters tremendously. We just don't have a good understanding of how individual variability and gut microbiomes affect one's optimal diet. But we can all universally agree that humans need to avoid sugar, eat little to no processed food, and eat less in general…

Individual variability and gut microbione are both pseudoscience. That's ignorance right there. If you want to science please use Cochrane Collab.

Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#58

Post by rezeroed » Wed, Sep 12, 2018, 2:05 PM UTC

Mc_Big_G wrote: post #46

ubermonkey wrote: post #34

ZOMG find something to do, and keep doing it. Cycling is very nerd-friendly. There are numbers and gadgets and even what amounts to an MMO in Zwift.

According to the article, cycling isn't enough. You need to do heavier resistance training.

Change gear.

Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#59

Post by gonzo » Wed, Sep 12, 2018, 2:06 PM UTC

presscast wrote: post #15

morsma wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Low carb and periodic water fasting (autophagy), and you should be set old age.

Add "occasional heavy lifting" to that list. Baby boomers are deadset on this idea that cardio is the only kind of exercise that one should be doing.

> Baby boomers are deadset on this idea that cardio is the only kind of exercise that one should be doing.

Possibly, but we are, after-all, of a different era, when running (Jim Fixx) and aerobics were 'sold' as the right stuff.

(I'm a trailing edge boomer, and I lift.)

Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#60

Post by lemming » Wed, Sep 12, 2018, 2:06 PM UTC

I've been investigating recommended protein intake recently and counting calories to lose some weight, and it's amazing how little protein most people get compared to what is now recommended.

Here's examine.com on the recommended amounts: https://examine.com/nutrition/how-much-protein-do-you-need/. I'm of fairly healthy weight, active and have been losing some weight, so I should be getting 2.2-3.3 g/kg according to that. I have two protein shakes a day and build every meal around as much protein as possible while still having it resemble normal food, and I'm achieving an average of about 2.2g/kg, i.e. just at the lower end of where I should be. Particularly when trying to lose weight, getting the amount of protein required in the calories allowed is really tough. It's easier when maintaining weight or trying to gain weight since the protein requirements are similar but you have more calories to play with.

I'm 46, so soon I'll be in the 50+ group which the examine.com article says is when you start needing more protein in a single dose. For me that's about 36g per meal - about 6 eggs, for example.

Counting calories is a bit of a pain to get started with, but isn't too bad once you're going since most people tend to repeat meals frequently. But it's been really illuminating - I thought I ate well previously, but I was a long way from where I needed to be. It's pretty geeky but has been really interesting. I've realised that it's essentially impossible to eat the way I should do eating food I don't prepare myself - nothing has anywhere near enough protein. Data driven health FTW.