Optimizing Body Composition

As a health coach, I am constantly promoting muscle as the organ of longevity. To me, improving body composition means decreasing unhealthy body fat if needed (especially visceral fat/belly fat) and adding more healthy muscle.

Building muscle as we age can become a bit more challenging, but it’s crucial we put intentional effort to build muscle because as we age, we lose muscle at a faster rate. Without effort, we are at risk for sarcopenia (deterioration of skeletal muscle) which puts us at risk for many things. In order to stimulate muscle protein synthesis (muscle building), we need to have sufficient dietary protein and stimulus to the muscles (aka heavy weights). One amino acid that we must consume in our diet is leucine since our body cannot make it. Studies suggest that timing our protein within 30 minutes of weight training can be helpful for building muscle. If we do not consume sufficient protein, our muscles atrophy (muscle breakdown) ! During times of stress, illness, infections, prolonged physical activity, our need for protein goes up.

With all new intentional health stressors (hormesis), it’s important to start slowly, but be sure to start! The sooner the better!

Benefits of healthy muscle:

• secrete myokines - utilize glucose wihout the use of insulin and positively affect the immune system

• secrete BDNF (brain derived neurotropic factor) - increases new neurons in our brain

• secrete interleukins which overall is anti-inflammatory

• large site for fatty acid oxidation

• cushions our bones

• supports better glycemic control, insulin sensitivity and metabolic flexibility

• when healthy is site for 80% of glucose disposaL