Although aging is a natural law, we cannot fight against it, but we can slow down the speed of aging by adjusting some controllable factors and keep ourselves relatively young when we are a little older. Things to do. In addition, exercise is also essential. Different forms of exercise can play different roles. For example, aerobic exercise can help us maintain a healthy cardiorespiratory and respiratory system. For example, strength training can help us reduce the risk of weight gain and have a toned body.

So, how do you keep yourself relatively young by exercising? From the outside, maintaining a slim and compact body can make us look younger, and maintaining a healthy body can make us tall and straight, and doing this is partly related to our muscle mass.

The importance of muscles

As we age, we lose muscle mass at different rates without active intervention. After the age of 40, the rate of loss will accelerate and the basal metabolism will decline. In this case, the risk of weight gain increases even if we maintain the same diet and exercise habits we did when we were younger; as muscle is lost, the skin loses support and becomes loose; as muscle is lost, muscle is lost Balance can also cause postural problems.

Because of this, after the age of 40, our entire appearance will be affected, the body will start to lose shape, the skin will sag, and there will be posture problems. On the contrary, if we can try to avoid muscle loss, then the situation is completely different, we can still maintain a firm body and skin condition, and can maintain a healthy body and posture.

How to avoid muscle loss

Although muscle loss is age-related, such as a decline in physical function and changes in hormone levels, it is not the main cause of muscle loss, because a big reason for muscle loss is that the stimulation of our muscles increases as we age. Reduce, on the contrary, if we can create favorable conditions for muscle growth, muscle will grow, so how to avoid muscle loss? Or how about muscle growth? Typically, we can do the following.

1. Pay attention to protein intake

Protein is the raw material for muscle repair and growth. In our daily diet, we need a particularly important protein intake. For the general population, daily protein intake should be 0.8-1 grams per kilogram of body weight. For those in need, due to the need to control the diet, in this case, if the energy intake is insufficient, protein must also provide energy for the body, so the need for protein will be higher for people who lose fat. In general, the recommended protein intake should be 1.2-2 grams per kilogram of body weight.

2. Don’t ignore carbs

In addition to protein, we should also pay attention to carbohydrates. While the main function of carbohydrates is to provide energy to the body, they also help us conserve protein. The risk of muscle loss is also increased if carbohydrate intake is insufficient, because protein provides energy for the body at this time, so even during the fat loss phase, carbohydrate intake should not be less than 45% of the calorie intake for the whole day. %. Of course, we can use whole grains instead of refined grains to reduce fat.

3. Focus on strength training

In addition to paying attention to diet, special attention should be paid to strength training during exercise, because strength training can stimulate muscles and promote their growth. When choosing strength training methods or movements, it is recommended that you focus on large muscle group compound movements.

4. Pay attention to sleep and rest

In addition to diet and exercise, rest and sleep are also important. Good rest can stabilize hormone levels, help us reduce stress, and thus help us increase the efficiency of muscle building or fat loss, so it is very important to develop good sleep habits.