When most people think of improving their overall health, they typically think about losing body fat (the number on the scale, the fit of their clothes, etc.) but when your goals are to live a longer and also a better life with strength, energy and independence, there is an additional factor that cannot be ignored: muscle mass.
Healthspan refers to the number of years you spend living in good health, moving freely, thinking clearly and enjoying your life without significant limitations. One of the greatest predictors of your healthspan is the amount of functional quality muscle mass you possess.
At Ideal Metabolic Health and Body in Fort Collins, we assist our patients to transition from only thinking about “losing fat” and start using muscle as one of their greatest assets for maintaining optimal long term health.
Healthspan 101: It’s Not Just About Living Longer
Just because you reach age 80, 90, etc., does not guarantee an enjoyable final decade of life. This could be filled with struggles with mobility, dependency on others for basic needs (i.e., food, clothing), and/or management of unpreventable chronic diseases. That is when healthspan becomes relevant.
Healthspan is defined as the number of years you can live independently, in good health and functioning at your highest level, allowing you to enjoy activities such as:
- Getting up out of a chair by themselves
- Carrying grocery bags
- Traveling with family
- Engaging in hobbies
- Recovering from illnesses or surgeries without losing their independence
This picture of health is not defined simply by weight. Two individuals who weigh the same may have totally different pictures of their future based solely on body composition (the ratio of muscle to fat) and which of those are contributing to their current health status.
Muscle begins to take its rightful place here.
Muscle vs Fat: Why Muscle Is Your Metabolic Engine
A lot of people say things such as “I just know my body burns more calories now since I have so much more fat.” This isn’t how this process works either.
Fat Does Not Burn Energy the Way You Think
The primary role of body fat is to be an energy storage tank. Fat stores excess energy that you are not currently burning. Fat does not significantly increase the speed at which your body uses calories. Excess fat, especially in the abdominal area, is also associated with increased inflammation, insulin resistance, and increased risks of developing diseases such as type II diabetes and heart disease.
So while fat is not “bad” (we all need some), it’s not the tissue that’s doing the heavy lifting for your metabolic health.
Muscle: The Organ of Longevity and Stability
On the other hand, skeletal muscle is metabolically active. That means it:
- Consumes energy whether you are moving or sitting still
- Regulates blood sugar levels by taking in glucose from the blood
- Helps maintain hormone regulation and metabolic adaptability
There are many ways in which muscle helps protect you in everyday life:
- It stabilizes your joints and spine
- It can help support your posture and balance
- It can help prevent falls and injuries
- It makes it easier to complete tasks such as walking upstairs, or picking up an object.
Healthy muscle is related to:
- Better energy
- Better blood sugar control
- Better physical function
- Better overall quality of life as you get older
Muscle Mass as a Powerful Indicator of Health Outcomes
Having muscles is beneficial for anyone whether they are an athlete or bodybuilder. Muscles help us deal with all of life’s stressors both large and small.
The Positive: The Many Benefits of Having Adequate Amounts of Healthy Muscle
Having more muscle mass and being stronger has been found to be positively correlated with:
- Increased insulin sensitivity and lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes
- Less chance of falling and breaking bones, especially among the elderly
- Better recovery from surgery, illness, or hospitalization
- More ability to perform physically; this can also result in a better quality of life and enjoyment of life
In short, when your body experiences challenges, muscle is a key factor in helping you recover quickly.
The Negative: Risks of Low Muscle Mass
When muscle mass and strength are low, which is often referred to as Sarcopenia, you may notice some or all of these physical signs of low muscle mass/low muscle strength (also known as a decrease in muscle function):
- Slow walking, needing extra effort to get up from a seated position.
- Need for more assistance performing daily activities.
- Higher probability of being disabled and losing your ability to do things on your own.
- Greater susceptibility to developing chronic diseases.
That’s why there is such a strong relationship between muscle mass and healthspan. It is not about how you look, it is about whether your body has the capability to support the lifestyle you wish to maintain.
Muscle Loss As We Get Older: How And Why It Happens
As we get older, we naturally lose muscle mass. In fact, this can be happening as early as when we are in our thirties and forties; however, losing muscle mass will likely become an even larger issue for those of us who do not take action to fight back against it.
Factors That Work Against Us Over Time Making It More Difficult To Maintain Our Muscle Mass
There are several different factors working against us over time that make it difficult to maintain our muscle mass:
- Changes in hormone levels
- We spend more time sitting, and less time being active
- Our diets contain less protein than they should
- When we attempt to lose weight, we often end up stripping away muscle along with the fat
In the end, you may find that you are feeling weaker, more tired and unsteady on your feet even though you have lost very little weight.
It’s Never Too Late to Build or Regain Muscle Mass
While it is true that there is a decline in our ability to build new muscle as we age, it is still possible to build or regain muscle mass at any age. The good news is that our bodies are extremely adaptable and regardless of what age we are, whether we are 25, 45, or 75, we can still build or regain muscle mass.
By starting today to build or regain muscle mass, you will also be able to:
- Reduce your risk of becoming frail in the future
- Help to improve your metabolic rate and how well you are able to regulate your blood sugar
- Increase your confidence in your ability to perform everyday tasks
To achieve these benefits, you simply need to follow a planned and sustainable program that includes:
- Resistance Training/Strength Training
- Sufficient Protein Intake
- Proper Recovery and Lifestyle Habits
You don’t have to do extreme workouts or use complicated routines. All you need is to develop a solid, individualized plan to support your goals.
How Ideal Metabolic Health and Body Can Support Your Healthspan
While many of us are familiar with the idea that we should “workout more” and/or “diet better,” the challenge comes in developing a concrete plan tailored to our needs; and unfortunately, most people find themselves overwhelmed by the vast amount of contradictory information available online today.
At Ideal Metabolic Health and Body, we focus on:
- Learn about your current state of metabolic health and body composition.
- Determine what percentage of your muscle mass is currently present and where you may be able to develop additional muscle mass.
- Develop an individualized strategy of nutrition, physical activity, and lifestyle to promote both the development of new muscle mass and metabolic homeostasis (i.e., metabolic balance).
- Track your progress based upon relevant positive changes in your body composition and metabolic health rather than simply weight loss alone.
Ultimately, our goal is to assist you in creating and maintaining sufficient muscle mass that will provide you with the necessary strength, mobility, and energy throughout the next several decades of your life.
The amount of time we live isn’t as important as the quality of those years. Of course, they depend on many things, but primarily on muscle mass and function which supports our metabolism, protects our joints, helps maintain our balance and provides the strength for independence.
Our team at Ideal Metabolic Health and Body in Fort Collins can help you determine the status of your muscle and metabolic health and provide you with the knowledge to preserve your healthspan. Start taking steps toward a stronger and healthier future.
