Muscle loss & Weight Gain during Covid and beyond…
Muscle loss and weight gain during Covid when so many of us have let our supportive schedules wane a bit…or a lot in my case! When stress and general disruption have caused all manner of unrest and upheaval. You are NOT lazy or bad or undisciplined because you may have gained weight the last 2-3years. I have - the most I’ve ever gained in my life.
One critical result of letting our self-care go? Of not exercising regularly? Critical muscle loss.
What about LONG-TERM HEALTH effects of short-term muscle loss?
High Risks:
Women in menopause
Reduced Protein intake
Reduced physical activity in general and specifically resistance training
Your daily activity, diet and lifestyle habits TODAY, will influence your next 1, 5, 10 yrs. For women in menopause specifically, who are already at increased risk for muscle and bone loss during a short time period, your daily choices are directly impacting the trejectory of your future.
Too little movement and poor nutrition choices lead to: Dangerous muscle loss (sarcopenia) which in turn leads to strength, bone and function losses; which in turn can lead to osteroporosis (increased risk of fractures); diabetes, falling!, depression and anxiety and congnitive decline. And several of these health issues increase risk of infection and susceptability to illnesses and increased severity of symptoms.
I don't mean to scare you but I sort of do. You do NOT have to fly out the front door right now and run 10miles - in fact please don't do that! Nor do you need to start exercising every day for 60mins!
But I encourage you to be sure to move, in someway, 2-4days/week for at least 30min, incorporating strength training aka lifting weight! Simple, HOME-BASED STRATEGIES can overcome these covid deficeits.
DO lift weights safely and until muscle failure when you can. DO bounce on a rebounder for the most wholeistic body activity which works all 638 of your body's muscles. DO add extra quality protein daily if you're over 45yrs old and nutrient dense food and supplimentation (proper and adequate amino acids, BiomeMedic for gut restoration and nutrient obsorbtion to name just two).
Bottom line? You are in control. And if you aren't sure how to start, seek information from CREDIBLE sources. Reach out to me, my passion is supporting people to uplevel or restore their health.
Covid has taken so much already, don't let it take your health too. Ironically this time at home has given most of us just that, more time at home. Time for self-care and exercise and health. .