Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/1498053
Page 26 | Abby's Magazine | instagram.com/abbyshealthfood health on their own. If your main goal is to maintain muscle mass, consider isometric exercises and simple banded varieties of exercises that will build strength without wearing your muscles out completely. If you spend lots of time sitting, add some movement the breakup the long periods of inactivity. Simple warm-up moves like jumping jacks, planks, step-ups, squats, and pull-ups allow you to exercise just about anywhere at a moment's notice with nothing more than your own bodyweight. Push-ups, crunches, and all their variations are also fantastic for spur-of-the-moment exercise. If you want to engage in exercise that more closely mimics strength training, you should invest in some dumbbells, a kettlebell, or a barbell. With one of these weights and a bench, you can bring most of your strength training regime home or even do a pared- down version on breaks at work. 10. Set Up for Success All the naysaying about sarcopenia and muscle loss as people age might paint a pessimistic picture. If you give your body what it needs and push it to create muscle with adequate recovery time to do so, you can stave off the worst effects of reduced muscle mass past the age of 40. Don't forget that diet and sleep play huge roles in this process as well. Balance your macronutrients and make sure you're getting 7 – 8 hours of good sleep each night. Doing so will leave you better prepared for strength training when you need to be and give your body the building blocks it needs to build muscle and maintain it. Warm-up more than you think you need to and always aim for perfect form. There's always room for improvement when it comes to exercise form, especially on the more complicated maneuvers. If you feel any kind of pain while you're working out beyond slight muscle soreness from exhaustion, don't try to push through it. That's the fastest way to get an injury when you're strength training and you'll definitely regret it if you allow your larger fitness goals to be squandered because of an avoidable injury. CONCLUSION Although the loss of muscle mass is a natural consequence of aging, that doesn't mean you have to resign yourself to becoming sedentary and incapable of daily tasks. The best thing you can do for yourself is to engage in regular strength training. If you aren't doing so already, it's never too late. There are certain things that will be more important for the over-40 crowd. Protecting joints and the spine is essential, as is warming up properly and changing up your routine to keep your body from adjusting to the exercise. As long as you take your own fitness level and personal history into account, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to use strength training to maintain and build muscle and reduce the risk of injury. The Truth About Dairy Queen Ice Cream Carrageenan: A thickener and emulsifier linked to digestive issues and cancer. Mono and Diglycerides: Byproduct of oil processing - which may contain trans fat that is detrimental to a heart health. Conventional Milk: Dairy raised on GMO grains heavily treated with pesticides, potentially antibiotics and other drugs. Artificial Flavor: Chemical mixtures produced by fractional distillation and chemical manipulation of various chemicals, like crude oil, or coal tar. Polysorbate 80: An emulsifier linked to weight gain, inflammation, and digestive problems. Sources: Food Babe