Hey there, it’s Craig… hope you’re doing well… I want answer a question that many people in their mid thirties and beyond have probably pondered at some point; why do I keep getting fatter and appear softer each and every year? The answer is you have a lack of muscle. Let’s take a look . . .

 Muscle serves the body in many ways. Some of its most important functions include:

1. the generation of heat (thermogenesis)
2. the utilization of stored body fat and glycogen as fuel
3. stability of body position and posture
4. regulation of organ function
5. the elimination of waste
6. the circulation of blood
7. production of amino acids required for immune cell replication
8. and of course, the ability to move in sport, recreation and athletic activities.

If you’re powerful it’s because your muscles are able to convert chemical energy derived from food into a form of mechanical energy that generates the force required to perform work and move mountains.

As most people age, they tend to lose nerve and muscle connections which greatly decreases their ability to use their muscles. Muscle and lean tissue loss (bone mass, ligaments, cartilage, connective tissue) associated with aging is called sarcopenia.

Less muscle means less heat, less fat burning potential and problems with fatigue, immune weakness and a high susceptibility to injury. By age 30, a decrease in muscle density and increased intramuscular fat is evident. In fact, as much as 35-50 percent of an individual’s muscle mass can disappear between the ages of 20 and 90.
 
By seventy, some muscles may have lost as many as 50% of their motor units and 75% of their muscle fiber numbers. Loss of muscle in seniors is due primarily to a decrease in the number of muscle fibers and significant atrophy of type II muscle fibers ( the ones that produce the most force).

The ultimate cause of sarcopenia is the result of exposure to the earth’s natural forces, which cause the breakdown and decay of everything on the planet over time through oxidation. Oxidation is the natural degradation of high energy molecules to low-energy molecules and occurs as a result of continuous exposure to oxygen, radiation and light. These forces  tend to erode and waste everything they come into contact with, including you and me. It’s the ultimate paradox; that which gives us life ends up killing us in the end.

So although this is certainly a natural phenomenon, many things can greatly impact how much muscle you lose and how soon. Most notably, due to sedentary living, a progressive loss of connections between nerves and the muscle cells they control occurs, making it more difficult for the nervous system to stimulate muscle cells. As our society progresses (or regresses) to a more sedentary way of life I will continue to see 70 year old ladies out performing 30 year old men on the same basic weight training exercises. It’s sad but true.

It is evidently clear that  muscle loss is almost always accompanied by fat gain, even if your weight stays about the same. This is because your body compostion  ( ratio of fat to lean tissue) increases making you fatter and softer not to mention weaker. But the good news is that there is something we can do about this dilemma. Rather than just stand around and wait for the inevitable to happen, we can take action and resist these natural forces to the bitter end.

Next time I’ll give you the lowdown on how to keep the fat furnace burning and slow the muscle wasting process at the same time.