Athena Vale
Maintaining muscle mass is an important aspect of staying fit and healthy, especially as we age. Our muscle mass and strength increase after birth, peaking around age 30 to 35, and from there, muscle performance gradually declines. To maintain muscle mass, a combination of regular exercise and a balanced diet is essential. Progressive resistance training and a higher-protein diet are recommended, with a focus on major muscle groups such as arms, chest, back, legs, and core. Additionally, staying active through activities like yoga, swimming, or gardening can help keep muscles functional. It's also crucial to stay hydrated and consume complex carbs and healthy fats for energy and to prevent fatigue and muscle loss.
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What You'll Learn
Consume a high-protein diet
Consuming a high-protein diet is essential for maintaining muscle mass. Protein is the primary nutrient responsible for building and repairing muscles. It provides the body with amino acids, which are the building blocks of muscle tissue. By consuming adequate protein, you ensure that your body has the necessary building blocks to support muscle maintenance.
When aiming to maintain muscle, it is recommended to consume 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. For example, a 175-pound man would need about 79 to 103 grams of protein per day. To maximise muscle protein synthesis, it is beneficial to divide your protein intake equally among your daily meals. This ensures a consistent supply of amino acids to support muscle repair and growth.
Animal sources of protein, such as meat, eggs, and dairy, are considered the best sources due to their complete amino acid profiles. Lean chicken, salmon, and Greek yoghurt are excellent choices. However, it is important to limit red and processed meat due to their high saturated fat and additive content. Plant-based sources of protein, such as beans, lentils, and quinoa, can also contribute to your daily protein intake.
In addition to whole food sources, protein powders can be a convenient way to boost your protein intake. These supplements typically offer about 30 grams of protein per scoop and can be added to various meals and shakes. While whole food sources are ideal, protein powders can be helpful if you struggle to meet your protein needs through diet alone.
It is worth noting that protein is just one part of a balanced diet. Complex carbohydrates and healthy fats are also essential for maintaining energy levels, supporting overall health, and preventing muscle loss. Staying hydrated is another important aspect, as it aids in muscle function and recovery. By combining a high-protein diet with other nutritious food choices, you can effectively support your body's muscle maintenance.
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Do resistance training
Resistance training is a great way to maintain muscle mass without gaining size. The principle behind this form of training is that muscles will work to overcome a resistance force when they are required to do so. When you do resistance training repeatedly and consistently, your muscles become stronger.
Resistance training is also called strength training or weight training, and it involves building strength, anaerobic endurance, and size of skeletal muscles. It is recommended that adults do muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days each week. You can use free weights, weight machines, resistance bands, or your own body weight for resistance training.
If you are a beginner, it is recommended to train two to three times per week to gain maximum benefit. You should rest each muscle group for at least 48 hours to maximize gains in strength and size. You can also vary your workouts to help push past a training plateau.
To maintain muscle mass, you can also try to increase the volume of your training while maintaining a calorie deficit. This means that you will get stronger without increasing your size.
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Schedule recovery time
Scheduling recovery time is crucial to maintaining muscle mass. Recovery allows your muscles to repair the small tears that form during exercise, reducing the risk of injury and improving performance in subsequent workouts. The time required for recovery depends on various factors, including age, fitness level, workout intensity, and the muscle groups targeted.
Age plays a significant role in determining recovery time. Younger individuals tend to recover faster and can typically handle more frequent workouts. Older individuals, on the other hand, usually require more time between training sessions. For example, the recommended recovery time for individuals in their 20s is about a day between runs or intense workouts, while those in their 50s may need a longer recovery period.
The intensity and duration of your workouts also influence recovery time. After a light workout, your muscles may recover within 24 hours, but a more challenging or intense workout might require two to three days or even longer for recovery. It is important to note that even if your muscles feel ready, your nervous system needs time to recover as well. Therefore, it is generally recommended to have at least two days a week without high-intensity training.
To optimize recovery, consider alternating muscle groups in your workouts. For example, you can focus on your upper body one day and your lower body the next, allowing each muscle group adequate time to recover. Sports experts generally recommend 48 hours of rest before working the same muscle group again. Additionally, incorporating active recovery strategies, such as less intense workouts or mobility work, on your rest days can further enhance your recovery process.
Finally, adequate sleep, proper nutrition, and hydration are essential components of muscle recovery. Sleep gives your muscles time to recover and repair, with intense exercisers requiring more sleep than the average person. A healthy diet supports the synthesis and biochemical repair processes that occur during recovery, leading to stronger and larger muscles. Staying properly hydrated also plays a crucial role in muscle recovery and overall performance.
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Maintain a calorie deficit
Maintaining muscle while on a calorie deficit is challenging, but possible. Here are some tips to help you maintain muscle while eating fewer calories:
Consume a High-Protein Diet
Protein is essential for maintaining muscle mass. Aim for 0.36–0.73 grams of protein per pound of body weight (or 0.8–1.6 grams per kilogram) as recommended by experts. Animal proteins such as meat, poultry, and fish are superior sources due to their amino acid composition, which is crucial for muscle growth and maintenance. If you are new to training, consider aiming for 3-4g/kg of protein.
Get Quality Sleep and Manage Stress
Sleep is vital for muscle recovery and repair. Aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and incorporating relaxing activities, such as reading or meditation, can improve your sleep quality and help manage stress levels. Research shows that individuals who sleep more while dieting lose more fat mass and retain more muscle.
Train Less and Rest More
When in a calorie deficit, your body enters a state of catabolism, breaking down carbohydrates, fats, and muscle tissue for energy. By reducing your training volume and frequency, you allow your body to enter an anabolic state during rest and recovery periods, promoting tissue repair and muscle growth. Remember, this doesn't mean eliminating exercise altogether, but finding a balance to avoid overtraining.
Cycle Your Calories
If you've been on a calorie deficit for an extended period (over 10-12 months), your muscle mass may start to diminish as your body burns muscle for energy. To prevent this, cycle your calories every few months by eating at maintenance or slightly above for a month or two before resuming the calorie deficit. This gives your body a chance to recover and rebuild muscle mass.
Incorporate Bodyweight Exercises
In addition to weight training, incorporate bodyweight exercises into your routine to add variety and challenge. This helps keep your muscles active and engaged without overtaxing them. Remember, maintaining muscle is a long-term commitment, so be consistent and avoid pushing yourself to the limit continuously.
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Stay active
Staying active is key to maintaining muscle mass. According to Dr. Brian Clark, executive director of the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute, "moving is the key". As we age, our muscle mass and strength increase, peaking around 30 to 35 years old, then begin to decline. Therefore, staying active is crucial to preserving muscle mass as we age.
There are various forms of physical activity that can help maintain muscle mass. Dr. Clark recommends power yoga, which requires strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular aspects. For those who are not strong enough for power yoga, he suggests starting with traditional resistance training exercises to build strength. Resistance training is one of the most important factors in maintaining muscle mass, especially when combined with aerobic (cardiovascular) exercises.
When strength training, it is beneficial to focus on major muscle groups such as arms, chest, back, legs, and core. Push-ups and squats are examples of compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups. It is recommended to repeat the exercise until it is close to failure, or until you can no longer continue, while being careful to let the body adapt to avoid injury.
In addition to yoga and resistance training, other activities such as swimming, walking, dancing, and gardening can also help maintain muscle mass and keep you active.
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Frequently asked questions
Depending on your size, you can maintain your physique with one workout per week. If you are under 180 lbs, you can probably maintain your muscle mass with one to two workouts per month.
Progressive resistance training (PRT) is a great way to build and maintain muscle mass. Focus on exercises that stimulate the muscle to contract and repeat them until you can no longer continue. Power yoga is also recommended by experts.
Eating a high-protein diet is one of the most important factors in maintaining muscle mass. Aim for 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Animal sources such as meat, eggs, and milk are considered the best due to their essential amino acids.
It is important to eat a calorie-neutral diet to maintain muscle mass. This means consuming the same amount of calories that you burn each day.
Staying hydrated is important for maintaining muscle mass. Drink water, unsweetened tea, coconut water, and fresh vegetable juice instead of sugary beverages.
