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Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

nytimes.com

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Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#231

Post by matwood »

kevinconaway wrote: post #137
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…

Do you have children? I used to run or cycle at least 5 days a week but since my daughter was born (and stopped being an infant) it is a struggle to keep a regular exercise regimen. I try to run with her in a jogging stroller when I can but this is much more susceptible to foul weather than when I could just adjust my own clothing.

No kids, but I know people who do have them. If you have the space, get a power rack and you can do workouts when you have the time. If you don't have the space, there are tons of body weight workouts. You can also get kettle bells. The point is to do something physical every day.

And yes, life can cause exercise to suffer. Kids, work, etc... will throw curve balls. Do what you can, and keep the fire going. Maintain until you get back to going hard.

Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#232

Post by EpicEng »

Koshkin wrote: post #194
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…

> My 'secret' is ... But how do you know if that is indeed the secret? (What if you looked even younger - less gray hair, say - if you didn't work out?)

>(What if you looked even younger - less gray hair, say - if you didn't work out?)

Because that makes no sense given everything we know about exercise and a healthy diet?

Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#233

Post by wiz21c »

131012 wrote: post #169
matwood wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly. This is why I do it everyday - it becomes a habit. I wake up and work out. No different than brushing my teeth.

You do that on empty stomach? Serious question, it's my main difficulty with morning workout.

Every saturday morning, I do some running, on empty stomach. Last week, I ran 10 kilometers. I don't do much sport (swimming pool twice a week, tai chi once a week, running once a week). Nothing intensive, just endurance. ((I do all of that not to stay young but because I have other pathologies that would progress without that).

Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#234

Post by otto2 »

kevinconaway wrote: post #137
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…

Do you have children? I used to run or cycle at least 5 days a week but since my daughter was born (and stopped being an infant) it is a struggle to keep a regular exercise regimen. I try to run with her in a jogging stroller when I can but this is much more susceptible to foul weather than when I could just adjust my own clothing.

I started to run to work and back, and during the weekend to run before anyone else at home wakes up.

Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#235

Post by WkndTriathlete »

131012 wrote: post #169
matwood wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly. This is why I do it everyday - it becomes a habit. I wake up and work out. No different than brushing my teeth.

You do that on empty stomach? Serious question, it's my main difficulty with morning workout.

I've found that what I can do - immediately - in the morning depends on exercise intensity:

Running/swimming/cycling: anything at or around low aerobic threshold (Friel HR zones 1, 2, or 3)

Strength: Endurance-focused compound primary exercises (e.g. squats, deadlifts); any form of auxiliary exercises (planks, bicep curls, etc.)

Anything more than that and I need to wait at least 2-3 hours after waking up (e.g. cardio in Friel zones 4, 5a, 5b, 5c or max-strength-focused primary compound exercises.)

Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#236

Post by imhoguy »

kevinconaway wrote: post #137
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…

Do you have children? I used to run or cycle at least 5 days a week but since my daughter was born (and stopped being an infant) it is a struggle to keep a regular exercise regimen. I try to run with her in a jogging stroller when I can but this is much more susceptible to foul weather than when I could just adjust my own clothing.

Go to sleep early, ideally same time as your daughter, then wake up early. While she still sleeps you have time for yourself.

Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#237

Post by asavadatti »

131012 wrote: post #169
matwood wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly. This is why I do it everyday - it becomes a habit. I wake up and work out. No different than brushing my teeth.

You do that on empty stomach? Serious question, it's my main difficulty with morning workout.

Pre-workout Carbs and Protein are linked to better, harder workout performances.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23846824

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19997003

Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#238

Post by sharadov »

lifting_throw wrote: post #150
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…

Some folks are able to lift heavy weights frequently, and that's awesome. I'm jealous. But here's a comment directed at people who've tried that and hurt themselves. For years I tried to lift heavy. Big compound barbell lifts. In my early 20s it was OK, but by 30 I started hurting myself. I always warmed up fully, but kept tearing things. I tried eating more, eating better, more recovery, everything I could think of.…

You're doing good, form is better than just lifting heavy. It's counter-productive, you hurt something and then laid up for weeks in recovery. I hurt my shoulder lifting heavy and it took me months to get to even half of what I was lifting earlier. I've been lifting for 22 of my last 40 years, so know how/what to lift, but sometimes all it takes is a small mistake to throw you off. Focus on a comfortable weight and slowly add 5 pound increments from there, never compromising on form.

Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#239

Post by EpicEng »

gthtjtkt wrote: post #220
andy_ppp wrote: post #48

I can't recommend StrongLifts enough. https://stronglifts.com I'm up to squatting 130kg now and feeling great!

I can't believe people still recommend squats and bench presses to beginners. Great way to cause a life-changing back or shoulder injury. Unilateral leg exercises and dumbbells are a much better starting point. They can work their way up to squats and bench presses if they decide to compete or want to impress people who ask "How much can you squat and bench?"

Starting weight is the bar. Pretty sure no one is going to kill themselves. The entire point of 5x5 programs is that A) it's for beginners, and B) you start from zero. It's a fine beginner's program.

Re: Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

#240

Post by bryanlarsen »

YinglingLight wrote: post #161
bryanlarsen wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Counterpoint: my wife and I are well into our 40s yet often mistaken for being much younger. Being significantly overweight gives us nice smooth wrinkle free skin.

You're guaranteed to look younger if you lose weight. Source: the waistline of middle-aged people in your office

I guarantee that if I lose weight my nice round cheeks will drop into jowls making me look a lot older.

I'll certainly look better, but older.

Of course the jowls are going to happen anyways, but losing weight would accelerate the process.

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