Maybe the last time you did push-ups was in physical education class at school. Or it could be that you were an athletic person, but work and obligations overwhelmed you ten years ago and you have never exercised again.
Like every year, many people make the resolution to get in shape, but there are also those who give up before starting because they think it’s too late. A good part of it is due to the (misguided) idea that losing shape is an inevitable consequence of aging.
In fact, if we look at the results of the studies Longitudinal and population studies, from the age of 30 onwards people lose muscle mass, their basal metabolism is reduced and their predisposition to accumulate fat increases. However, these processes are not due to adding years, but rather a consequence of changes in lifestyle.
Physical shape and age
A wide study between scientists from different countries published in 2018 found that aging produces changes in muscle tissue and its ability to regenerate. But this does not mean that it cannot be improved, it just takes more time. Although you can’t turn back the clock, it has been proven that it is possible to gain up to 30% muscle mass and aerobic capacity at any age.
The trainer and rehabilitator Mario Peña, from the Estudio Life center in Madrid, confirms that it is perfectly possible to improve physical fitness at any age. “Another thing is that it takes more or less time,” he points out. “The problem is that after the Three Kings roscón, many people want to lose weight, gain muscle mass, run ten kilometers, and all for yesterday. They don’t know that if they go too fast they can end up hurting themselves,” he says.
Losing muscle mass not only affects strength, but also metabolic capacity, since muscle is a very active tissue and consumes a large amount of energy at rest. This means that when we lose muscle mass, and continue eating the same amount (or more), it is easier to gain weight. This decrease in metabolism can be aggravated by starvation diets, which even produce more loss of muscle mass, triggering the dreaded yo-yo effect.
Another notable change is the decrease in aerobic capacity (the so-called “background”), measured by VO2 maximum, which falls by approximately 1% per year from of 30 yearsbut not in people who continue to exercise. The same goes for the decline in bone density, especially in postmenopausal women due to falling estrogen levels, which increases the risk of osteoporosis – the strength exercises can contribute to its prevention.
Strategy to get in shape after 35
The first step is to understand that there is no single solution. A person who has never exercised needs a different plan than someone who was in shape in the past and has fallen off a bit in recent years.
“The first thing to work on is that they have good functioning at an anatomical level, that they have good joint mobility,” explains Mario Peña. “You have to learn to do the exercises well so as not to get injured. We are no longer 20 years old, and if we get injured, we do not recover like before,” he adds.
The next step is to increase muscle strength. Strength training is essential to preserve and increase muscle mass. A revision A 2020 study of more than 6,000 people found that resistance training, performed at least twice a week, not only preserved muscle mass, but also improved insulin sensitivity and reduced body fat.
Aging produces changes in muscle tissue and its ability to regenerate. But this does not mean that it cannot be improved, it just takes more time.
Mario Peña warns that it is important not to confuse muscle development with exercising only certain muscles associated with a better appearance. “People really like to train the pectorals or the butt, but they don’t focus on the internal muscles, which stabilize and protect the joints,” he explains. This muscle includes the famous core, that is, the muscles of the abdominal belt, lumbar and pelvic floor, but there are other important areas, such as the so-called shoulder girdle, the muscles of the upper part of the back, which when strengthened relieve the very common cervical pain.
“The technique of an exercise is very easy, you can see it in a video, but very few teach you which muscles you have to stabilize so that your shoulder does not move if you are working your back, for example,” clarifies Peña. .
Cardio myths
It is true that cardiovascular activity also has a great influence on improving general health, especially in maintaining VO2 Max, aerobic capacity. However, it is not always advisable to start here to get in shape. Many people believe that by doing aerobic exercise they will be able to ‘tone’, or ‘toughen’ the parts of their body that are now flaccid, but they do not realize that this flaccidity is fat, and fat does not harden. “The excess fat must be eliminated, the only thing that hardens is the muscle, it is what gives shape to the body,” clarifies Peña.
Although cardiovascular exercise can burn calories, they may be fewer than we think, and they are quickly recovered after eating. “Cardio has many benefits, but you only burn so many calories that day. When you combine it with strength work, it takes between 48 and 72 hours to recover, and you continue burning calories for the following days,” explains Peña.
The importance of nutrition
There is little doubt that correct nutrition is essential to achieve and maintain good physical shape. As public he British Journal of Sports Medicine In 2015, running is not possible to compensate for a poor diet.
Food is not only ‘energy’, but it plays a fundamental role in repair. As Peña indicates, “when you exercise, it causes damage to your body to generate an adaptation, get stronger or improve cardiorespiratory function. A good diet helps recover those damaged tissues.”
If we exercise, increasing protein in the diet is particularly important. According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, adults need between 1.2 and 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day to preserve and increase muscle mass. In addition, consuming foods rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, such as fruits, vegetables and healthy fats (with olive oil and omega-3), helps combat oxidative stress, which also increases with age and psychological stress.
Getting in shape after 35 not only involves physical changes, but also a psychological transformation. To improve our form, having a good guide and consistency are more important than starting with a lot of intensity and then giving up. Creating sustainable habits, setting realistic goals, seeking company and celebrating small achievements are the ingredients that will allow us to be successful.
*Darío Pescador is editor and director of the Quo magazine and author of the book your best self Posted by Oberon.
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