Keep Your Muscle As You Age

KEEP YOUR MUSCLE AS YOU AGE Do this now, and “future you” will thank you for it!

By: LISA G. WRIGHT, CFT, FAS

o you ever see videos online of people their 70s and beyond shooting hoops, bicycling or busting a move on the dance floor and think, I want to be that person when I grow up? I know I do! I didn’t learn to snow ski until I was over 50 and have been going once a year ever since. When I’m on the slopes, I see couples in their 70s and 80s still skiing together, and I want that to be me at that age (or older)! Since I started skiing rather late in life, one of my dreams is to continue to ski somewhere different every year until my very last days!

One of the best things you can all do to help ensure you continue to do the things you love for the next 10, 20, 30- plus years is to: D

1. Start doing those things now (if you aren’t already) 2. Take care of your muscles by keeping them strong and flexible

Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s easier to clean a clean house?” It seems like a no-brainer, but the same philosophy works with your fitness and health. It’s so much easier to keep your fitness level (and your muscle) than it is to rebuild it.

Important Note: It’s never too late to get into shape and gain muscle. You can do it, disregarding what your age is. It just takes time, consistency and a little patience.

Anyway, here’s why it’s so important! When you hit the age of 30, you start losing 3 to 5 percent of your muscle mass each year. Studies even show that over your lifetime, you can lose up to 30 percent of your muscle!

Less muscle = less strength = less balance = more risk of falls and fracture.

That’s not good! Plus, not only does keeping your muscles healthy improve your strength and quality of life,

I have a couple of openings weekly for Success Session calls. If you want to chat about your goals, let me know ASAP, and we can get some time scheduled! Please visit Lisa G. Wright, CFT, FAS, online at www.ypbtrainingstudio.com. You may also call 361-857-5087 or visit www. ypbtrainingstudio.com. Wright’s full “How do We Ensure Functional Longevity” presentation is available to watch online at https://youtu.be/ Alnz1SaXv5M. You may also look for a fertified FAS near you at https://functionalaginginstitute.com/find-a-registered-professional/.

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO GET INTO SHAPE AND GAIN MUSCLE.

but it also is an important part of keeping your metabolism revved (i.e., burning fat) as you age. Muscle health is why strength training is so important as you get older! It can help your body retain your muscle, and maybe even reverse the trend.

Here are two to-dos to put on your weekly self-care list to get a jump start on keeping that precious muscle and helping it stay strong and flexible. These things will pay off not only now, but decades into the future.

Get at least two total-body strength-training workouts in each week.

Two will help maintain what you have now, and three may vastly improve your muscular state to a new and renewed you! Now it’s your turn to begin the transformation of your body in as quickly as 21 days. Even with a slower metabolism or “old” injuries ... even if you are a complete beginner, I encourage you to check out one of our small group personal training classes to see if we are a fit for each other.

Regardless of where you go, the workouts you decide to do should include all of your major muscle groups, including your “big” muscles – legs, back and chest. Bonus: Resistance training also helps keep your bones strong.

Make time to stretch.

Stretching gets even more important as you get older. Not only does it help cut back on aches and pains, but it helps your muscles move through a wide range of motion.

Maintaining flexibility is a surprising factor when it comes to balance. When your range of motion becomes limited, it can affect your walking gait, as well as your posture. Both of those have a big effect on your balance!

Try to set aside five to 10 minutes several days a week to work on your flexibility. Need ideas? Download our Foam Rolling Guide or visit one of our Small Group Personal Training Sessions. (The first visit is free!)

Even if those “older” years seem far away, it’s worth a little thought now. Your future you will be super grateful to present-day you, I promise. Make 2020 an active year!

REFERENCES:

www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/preserve-your-muscle-mass www.ypbtrainingstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Foam-Rolling-Guide.pdf https://ypbtrainingstudio.com/ypb-training-calendar/

MEET LISA

Lisa Grace Wright, CFT, FAS, is the CEO of L.G.W. Fitness Inc., a published author, a functional aging specialist and a business coach for the Functional Aging Institute. Through strategic planning and marketing consulting, she helps fitness business owners from small studios to big-box gyms create a compelling and effective business plan to inspire an aging population to take action toward their health.

Over the last 20 years, Lisa has built her brand, Your Personal Best in Corpus Christi, Texas. She has expanded her influence across the country, equipping others like herself who want to change lives and promote aging actively.

CAROLINA PRADERIO M.D., P.L.L.C. Gynecology & Women’s Health

Providing Personal and Comprehensive Care Woman to Woman

• Board Certified OB/GYN • Specializing in Menopause • Bio-identical Hormone Pellet Therapy (BHRT) • Performing minimally invasive gynecological surgeries & procedures • Medically Supervised Weight Loss

Corpus Christi Spohn South 5920 Saratoga Blvd., Suite 110 361-991-9356 www.DrPraderio.com