Muscle – The Key to Longevity
We are all pretty aware these days of the importance of exercise as we get older and the benefits we get both physically and mentally from regular exercise. What is less understood is the life changing benefits of preserving and building our muscle as we get older.
Muscles are an incredible part of our bodies. They have a range of influences on our body, including functional strength and independence, metabolic and hormonal, bone health, and chronic disease prevention.
After weight loss surgery, individuals may need to adopt a comprehensive approach to health, including exercise, to maintain muscle mass and overall well-being. Preserving muscle becomes crucial in weight loss journeys as it helps in maintaining metabolic rate, therefore helping to prevent weight regain. Muscles are also key to support functional strength and long-term health.
In the context of weight loss surgery, incorporating strength training and muscle preservation strategies (e.g., reformer pilates) can be essential to successful weight management and long-term health benefits.
But not all exercise is the same when it comes to building good quality muscle. As much as walking is a fabulous exercise for our cardiovascular and mental health, it doesn’t quite cut it when it comes to building our muscle. Our muscles need to be progressively loaded to provide a stimulus for growth. This means it needs to be fatigued to a degree that requires the muscle fibres to become stronger and adapt for the next time it is required to work – and that’s where strength training comes in.
Strength training can be in the form of body weight, resistance bands, weights or through specialised machines. Your muscles don’t know the difference between what is making it work, just that it needs to adapt and get stronger.
Getting started with strength exercise may be a little more challenging than taking yourself off for a walk around the block. Especially for individuals who have undergone weight loss surgery, it’s worth investing in getting the right type of advice to provide a safe and personalised strength program for you.
Often there are other musculoskeletal considerations such as knee, shoulder, or lower back conditions that may add complexity to the strength training journey. But don’t let these conditions hold you back! An accredited exercise physiologist can design a strength program for you and help you start building and preserving your muscle right through your life. It is never too late to start building your muscle and experience the benefits of maintaining and building muscle.
We have a team of exercise professionals that work closely with Brisbane Weight Loss Surgery patients to get on track with regular movement. Visit our website to find out more.
This post originally appeared on True North Wellness’s blog: https://truenorthwellness.com.au/muscle-the-organ-of-longevity/
Reproduced with permission.