You may be getting close to or past retirement age and are looking forward to enjoying your life now that you have extra free time, right?
You may be getting close to or past retirement age and are looking forward to enjoying your life now that you have extra free time, right? Not necessarily so. Over the years unless you have worked at protecting and preserving your strength you may find that you have suffered significant lean muscle tissue loss. It is possible that you may not have noticed this as it happens at a slow rate over a very long period of time.
The body has a sneaky habit of padding the effected areas that have lost muscle tissue with body fat so the bathroom scales may have remained the same but your body composition will have changed. This is your muscle/fat ration.
As most people get older they mistakenly believe that they should wind down their vigorous physical activities. Everyday tasks and activities that once were easy start to become more difficult.When this happens a person is less likely to continue doing them. This is the start of a downward spiral of increasing less activity and an increasing loss of function. This will generate even less desire to stay active and the very dangerous cycle continues until disability sets in. Muscle loss caused by a sedentary or inactive lifestyle opens the door for a host of other physical conditions and ailments.
Muscle tissue loss begins in our in 30s, continuing on through the years and speeding up up causing rapid deterioration from 50 years. People in their mid 60's who haven't exercised regularly can show a decrease in muscular strength of as much as 80%.This vicious process is called sarcopenia and means muscle mass has declined causing muscles to become weak. Weak muscles burn less fuel meaning if a sedentary lifestyle is
followed it is likely that a person becomes over fat especially in the abdominal region. Even is you don't gain weight you will still replace muscle tissue with body fat.
Excess body fat contributes to glucose intolerance - the body's inability to efficiently break down sugar can lead to "metabolic syndrome" which puts a person as risk for diabetes, along with other chronic conditions like cancer and heart disease.
As grim as all this sounds it doesn't have to be this way. It is your responsibility to ensure that your strength and therefore your health are protected right throughout your life. It has been well proven it is not the result of age that these negative changes occur but is the result of not being active enough to remain healthy. If we see other people slowing down as they get older it doesn't mean we have to follow.
Simply make up your mind not to let your health be eroded away by getting started on a strength training exercise program straight away. It is never too late to do this whether you are 40 or 80 years old. Do not wait as every day that goes by will make it harder to regain that lost strength. Your strength training exercise program should be prescribed by a Fitness Professional so you can learn correct technique in a safe and effective manner. This will save a lot of time and get you results far quicker.
Your last few decades of life are really important so don't risk them by neglecting your health and fitness and end up spending your last years in a nursing home. Instead focus of starting a new career or hobby, spending time with family or traveling and of course your exercise program. Surely this is a better option?
Do you want to discover the secret to rejuvenating your body and regaining lost vitality and improving the quality of your life? Download my free ebook "I've Found the Fountain of Youth- Let Me Show You Too!” here: Fountain of Youth Carolyn Hansen is a certified fitness expert and fitness center owner who coaches clients to look and feel younger.
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