5 Simple Strategies for Weight Loss
I'm often asked about my approach to weight loss.
Well, if I'm going to personally lose weight there isn't just one thing I do. It's actually more of a playbook …
I'm often asked about my approach to weight loss.
Well, if I'm going to personally lose weight there isn't just one thing I do. It's actually more of a playbook. And these are 5 simple strategies I use that are part of it.
EAT WITH A PURPOSE - AND BE WELL!
Jaime Rothermich
RD, CSSD, LD, PPSC, CSCS
Functional Elements Training & Nutrition
(Run time: 3:37)
FE Trainer Panel on Kettlebells
You walk into a gym. There's traditional weights and there is kettlebells. What do you choose, and why?
Lean Body Mass vs. Skeletal Muscle Mass
Lean Body Mass (LBM) and Skeletal Muscle Mass (SMM) ... we hear these two terms used interchangeably without much thought as to what each really means.
Let’s clarify …
Lean Body Mass (LBM) and Skeletal Muscle Mass (SMM) ... we hear these two terms used interchangeably without much thought as to what each really means.
Let’s clarify.
LBM = total weight of organs/skin/blood/bones/body water and SMM.
SMM = muscle only.
An increase in SMM will result in an increase in LBM, but the opposite isn’t necessarily true.
When LBM increases we can be fairly certain our bones, skin and organs are not gaining any appreciable weight. So this leaves changes in either SMM or total body water (or both). Depending on factors such as hormonal changes, diet, activity/exercise, hydration status and even sleep, body water can fluctuate (upwards of 5-6 lbs daily) and thus change LBM (without changing SMM).
(As a side note, losing body water also doesn’t mean you’ve lost SMM.)
Understanding that SMM is a component of LBM, we need to be laser focused on preserving SMM as we age.
If we’re interested in living a long and healthy life and doing all the activities we’d like to do whenever we want to do them, we need to be strong.
Let me be even more blunt …
WE NEED TO FIGHT LIKE HELL TO HANG ON TO AS MUCH MUSCLE AS POSSIBLE FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.
And this means strength training MUST be a priority.
If you’re already strength training, keep it going and continue to get out of your comfort zone to push skeletal muscle mass to maintain or even grow.
If you’ve never strength trained (maybe you’re intimidated to even start?), push those fears aside and get a program going immediately. It’s never too late!
And if you have no idea where to start, well, you can start with an assessment and program design from Functional Elements (it’s what we do).
This assessment will provide you with two very important things:
1) Baseline data on your body, which is an invaluable starting point. And yes, this baseline data includes your LBM and SMM levels.
2) A program and strength training game plan built for your body and goals. Even if you plan on training on your own, having this road map to follow will help cut the biggest fear that most who don’t strength train have - uncertainty.
I’ll leave you with this quote, which in my opinion says so much:
“If you have the aspiration of kicking ass when you’re 85, you can’t afford to be average when you’re 50.”
-Dr. Peter Attia
EAT WITH A PURPOSE - AND BE WELL!
Jaime Rothermich
RD, CSSD, LD, PPSC, CSCS
Functional Elements Training & Nutrition
Why Do We Lose Muscle As We Age?
As we age, maintaining muscle, much less building it, becomes more difficult.
Why is this - and what can we do about it? It all starts here …
As we age, maintaining muscle, much less building it, becomes more difficult.
Unfortunately, we reach our peak muscle between our mid-thirties to early forties, which can leave a rather large portion of our lives where muscle mass can be on the decline.
Why is this? What the heck happens?
What happens is ANABOLIC RESISTANCE.
Basically, this is a blunting of muscle protein synthesis (MPS) - which means we begin to lose the ability to grow muscle (and keep muscle). And it begins to happen due to a few different reasons:
Physical Inactivity
It is not uncommon for our 35-yr-old self to be nowhere near our, say, 18-yr-old self when it comes to activity level. And as we age, the gap tends to become even more substantial. Why is this relevant? Because evidence has shown that even after just two weeks of inactivity our bodies have lessened MPS.
Chronic Inflammation
Not to get too scientific here, but an increase of proinflammatory cytokines (namely Interleukin-6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor) is suspected to reduce MPS by interrupting the mTOR pathway.
Reduced Hormonal Function
There is a natural decline in testosterone (in both men and women) and reduction of estrogen (in women).
Dietary Changes
As we age, we tend to have a lower protein intake as well as a skewed protein distribution (low at breakfast and lunch, backload at dinner).
So, all is lost? Should we simply throw in the towel the older we get?
HELL NO! We’re going to put up a fight!
Here’s how to do it …
Keep training and moving. Stimulate the muscle to breakdown so the body activates MPS to grow more. And that means strength training. Don’t fear it. Don’t shy away from it. Learn how to do it effectively and safely - and stick with it!
Focus on protein content.
First, total daily amount (general minimum of 1.2g/kg bodyweight/day, and more if you’re active).
Second, distribution amount per meal (.4g/kg bodyweight/meal).
Third, quality counts. Seek out quality sources of protein with high biological value (i.e. animal sources
Fourth, protein timing after exercise. Exercise will stimulate MPS alone, but add a good protein source post workout (exercise + protein) and you can almost feel the muscle growing.
Whether it starts in your mid 30’s like some or your 40’s like others, anabolic resistance affects us all at some point. Understanding what it is and having a game plan to defend against it is your secret weapon. Use it - and do you best to stay strong by giving your body what it needs, when it needs it!
EAT WITH A PURPOSE - AND BE WELL!
Jaime Rothermich
RD, CSSD, LD, PPSC, CSCS
Functional Elements Training & Nutrition