This post was written by Meghan Banik, certified athletic trainer, Parkview Sports Medicine.
Each human has a natural amount of muscle mass due to their unique genetics, age and gender. Whether your goal is to grow your physique or simply preserve it, the key is taking care of these precious soft tissues that aid our bodies in so many important jobs. For this, there are four main areas of focus that we know keep the stretchy fibers that make up our muscles happy and healthy.
Four areas of focus to maintain muscle
No. 1 – Exercise
Physical activity, paired with adequate nutrition, stimulates muscle growth. Working out two to three times a week, consistently, can help grow these precious tissues and prevent muscle loss. Consistency is the key to success in, and all, areas of muscle maintenance.
Consider reading:
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Let’s talk about back pain during weight training
No. 2 – Diet
When it comes to eating to keep muscles thriving, there are two things to consider: 1) You want to consume more calories than you burn to support new muscle, and 2) You want to focus on how much protein you are putting into your body. Ensuring that you are eating the recommended amount of protein and fuel for your activity level will help maintain muscle mass and avoid any loss.
Consider reading:
How to get the most out of protein bars and powders
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Student athletes: This is how you should be fueling
7 simple post-workout meals to refuel
No. 3 – Sleep
Getting plenty of restorative sleep is key to avoiding muscle loss. Sleep helps to reset the body and provide enough energy for your next workout. If you have concerns about the quality of your rest, such as trouble falling or staying asleep, it’s important to talk to your doctor about these issues. Cleaning up your sleep hygiene, by following basic guidelines around creating an environment that encourages rest is also helpful.
Consider reading:
What should an athlete’s sleep routine look like?
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Is your diet affecting your sleep?
A pharmacist weighs in on troubled sleep
No. 4 – Recovery
It seems counterintuitive, right? You need to rest in order to get or stay strong. But it’s true! Recovery between workouts is the final necessary element for proper muscle maintenance. Schedule a rest day into your routine and use that time to care for your body as a means of thanking it for all it does for you and will continue to do for you.
Why do muscles get sore after working out?
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Shifting your focus to these four areas will help you avoid muscle loss and increase your chances of a higher quality of life, with more independence and vitality.
Sources
Cava Edda, Yeat Nai Chien, Bettina Mittendorfer. Preserving Healthy Muscle during Weight Loss. Adv Nutr. 2017;8(3):511-519
