Why your strength matters
The components of 'fitness'
When you think of fitness, it would be natural to firstly think of your cardiovascular health. This normally springs to mind doesn't it. "I can't run very fast", or "I'm feeling a bit out of breath these days" (that sort of thing).
You might also consider your composition (body fat) and your flexibility. These are all valid components.
However, you'd be missing 2 core components of fitness that are critical to your health and wellbeing...
Strength and endurance
It's all about muscle!
Specifically, we're most interested in the skeletal muscle mass in your arms and legs. We can assess improvements in your strength using two metrics. These are:
- Muscular strength - the measure of how much maximal force you can produce for a single action, such as pushing, pulling, or lifting. E.g. can you do a press up? What's the heaviest weight you can lift from the floor?
- Muscular endurance - the ability of your muscles to repeatedly produce force over an extended period of time without tiring. How long can you go for?
What are the statistics?
Muscle protects your health!
A low skeletal muscle mass is strongly associated with a far higher risk of dying from any cause (including cancer).
This could be as much as 36% higher risk (see studies below).
Furthermore, from a day-to-day viewpoint, a lower muscle mass can lead to:
- Lower metabolism & increased body fat
- Insulin resistance
- Risk of falls, bone breaks and osteoporosis
- Chronic heart disease
- Cognitive decline
When should you start strength training?
Start as soon as you can. It's never too late.
Age-related muscle loss - known as sarcopenia - generally starts from age 30 onwards!
You may not have noticed a change yet but you can lose between 3–5% of your muscle mass every decade (or as high as 8% in some cases). This may also be hidden if you have a particularly high body fat percentage.
Muscle loss is even more likely for women in perimenopause and menopause where the vast reduction in Estradiol reduces muscle synthesis & repair.
It's a battle that NEEDS to be fought and it's never too late to start.
Muscles and fat loss
What if I just want to lose weight?
Your muscles are your GREATEST asset when it comes to weight loss. That's why you need to build and protect them at all cost,
Muscles are your most metabolically active tissue. They store the majority of your body's glucose, and your muscle mass has a direct impact on the number of calories you burn at rest.
Put it this way; the greater your muscle mass, the easier it is to manage your weight, to lose body fat, and avoid weight gain as you age.
Weight loss terminology
A weight loss programme is a FAT loss programme
It's important to be clear about terminology....
When it comes to losing weight, you want to lose body FAT and not your lean muscle tissue. This is why the number on the scales is not very helpful!
With a programme of suitable exercise and supporting nutritional choices, body fat can be lost WITHOUT losing muscle mass.
This is why managing a calorie deficit is so important. If you don't eat ENOUGH, your body will break down your muscles for energy.
My programme with you will evaluate exactly what you need for your goals, and how to lose fat safely and sustainably.