How can you maintain your muscle mass?
The pandemic has reduced the practice of physical exercise, affecting health and increasing the risk of being overweight or obese. We tell you what to do to maintain muscle mass.
Experts advise taking into account some recommendations that help maintain adequate physical conditioning and avoid loss of muscle density. Photo: Pexels
LatinAmerican Post | Alexey Zhúkov
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To prevent the body from losing muscle mass, experts advise taking into account some recommendations that help maintain adequate physical conditioning and prevent loss of muscle density.
Do aerobic and anaerobic exercise
Performing physical exercise is vital to maintain muscle mass, since with it weight is regulated and fat is eliminated, in addition to that the muscles of the body are rewarded by this activity.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that people get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise per week. As for anaerobic exercise, he recommends doing it for 20 to 30 minutes a day.
Eat protein
To maintain the body's muscle mass index, it is necessary to eat foods rich in protein such as fish, eggs, lean meats, beans, among others. This will nourish the muscles and prevent a reduction in muscle density.
Recover carbohydrates
The lack of carbohydrates in the body causes the loss of muscle mass, which is why it is recommended to eat a regulated portion of carbohydrates, especially those that are complex and from clean sources such as rice, legumes, or potatoes.
Don't overdo cardio exercise
While it is true that the development of cardio activities is important for health, it is good to remember that any excess is bad, especially if you want to maintain the muscle mass index. Extensive cardio sessions make muscle fibers adapt to resistance work and not strength work, producing smaller fibers instead of larger ones, causing the body to lose muscle mass.
Rest and avoid stress
One of the causes that reduces muscle mass and that most are unknown is not giving the body adequate rest, so sleeping well and not doing too strenuous training sessions is a vital point because if the body is taken to the extreme This can suffer stress, a state that favors the production of the hormone known as cortisol that can affect muscle mass.
It is important to do intense but short exercises and avoid situations that generate stress and tension as much as possible.
Avoid strict diets
While it is true that diet is an important factor in good health, it should not be done so rigorously. It is best to eat a balanced diet that provides enough calories and nutrients to keep the body from breaking down muscle protein for energy.
¿No sabes cómo mantener la masa muscular que has ganado? ¡Nosotros te enseñamos! >>> https://t.co/yE9nbx9LyI pic.twitter.com/euI7XVhc2I
– FullMusculo.com (@FullMusculo) 12 de octubre de 2016
It should be noted that, when losing weight, it is possible that you have the perception that you have lost muscle mass when seeing the body a little smaller than usual, but this does not really have any relationship, since what is perceived is the muscle itself, this is because when you lose weight you lose fat, which covers the muscle making it appear much more voluminous, when in fact it is not or is a little smaller than it is appreciated. This is normal and there is nothing to be alarmed about.
