There was a time when cardio was all the rage. It was the center of the fitness industry, but oh how times have changed!
Today, muscle is coveted. I truly believe that building and maintaining muscle mass is the fountain of youth! And fairly recently, for the first time, women strive for the athletic, muscular look of an athlete over being thin. I think we can attribute this to the amazing female athletes we see now in Crossfit, gymnastics, Spartan races, and the like.
I truly believe that building and maintaining muscle mass is the fountain of youth!
And you know what? I think this is awesome (duh)!
You see, life has changed A LOT in the last century. Day to day life used to involve a lot of physical labor, which is great for building and maintaining muscle mass. Think of your classic Texas farm boy, or that old man strength we hear about.
But because the world doesn't work that way anymore, it's very easy for humans to be low in muscle mass and high in body fat. It doesn't look or feel good when you're young, and it's detrimental to your health, vitality, and mobility when you're older. Being able to get up and down off the ground in your 60's could be the difference between independent living and living in a nursing home.
Top 5 Reasons for Building Muscle Mass:
Increased metabolic efficiency - when you hold more muscle, your body needs higher amounts of energy to survive. Muscle is 3-5 times more metabolically active at rest, which means that muscle tissue burns significantly more energy than fat.
Improved insulin sensitivity - this means more control over blood sugar levels and lower instances of diabetes. You'll also have better blood glucose control. So less dietary glucose (sugar) will store as body fat, and you'll have more energy overall.
Fight sarcopenia - This is age related muscle loss. Starting at about age 30, you have the potential to lose 1-2% of your muscle mass every year. This also leads to a major decrease in overall strength each year. The good news, 99% of this muscle/strength lose can be countered by a proper resistance training routine. So if you want to get around when you're older, not shrink in height, and be strong rather than frail, work to build muscle and keep it. USE IT OR LOSE IT!
Avoid disease - we all know that excess body fat causes a variety of serious health conditions. One of the best ways to keep fat off is by building muscle. And in doing so, you can avoid potentially deadly conditions like stroke, heart attack, diabetes, and many others. Are you doing all you can to avoid a life style related disease?
Gives you confidence - This ones personal for me. When you have more muscle you have less body fat and it should be no surprise that it's a huge confidence booster. This confidence will spread across all areas of your life, as a better version of YOU emerges. You'll inspire those around you as you become more positive, fearless, and proud of the body you've created!
So you might be wondering: what's the best way to build and keep muscle?
First things first - you MUST be lifting! AKA you should be working through a workout program.
Also: proper nutrition that supports building muscle, sleep, hydration, stress management and mobility work.
First things first - you MUST be lifting!
If you or someone you know has been putting off exercising or maybe even fearing building muscle, I hope you see how essential it is. Not just for now, but for your future as well. So much of what we face as we get older can be prevented by the choices we make now.
Get On a Workout Program!
So, if you're currently training with the Train with Kyle Online Workout Program...BRAVO! You're giving yourself a gift every time you follow the workout and log it into the app, so don't forget that! Who can you share this blog post with who NEEDS to hear this message? Our future and current health and happiness depends on it.
If you're not actively working to build and maintain muscle mass, I ask you, for the sake of your future self, to check out the Train with Kyle Online Program. It will change every aspect of your life from how you feel when you look in the mirror to potentially how long you live and with what quality of life. Don't put it off. You deserve your best. Just CLICK HERE to learn more about the Train with Kyle Online Program.
P.S. there's a limited time 7-Day FREE Trail for the Train With Kyle Workout Program
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