What works for long term sustainable weight loss and health for all ages and stages?
Answer: RESISTANCE TRAINING.
TLDR version: The best outcome for sustainable healthy body composition for all ages is resistance training of 20 min sessions, two - three times a week (+ a reasonable food program + aerobic exercise.) Surprise!
So there’s good news and bad news. Let’s get the bad news over with.
The US CDC reports that obesity rates of adults 20-39 years old is 38%, 40-59 years old is 44%, and 60+ years is 41%, and all these numbers are rising! These are costly and unhappy statistics for Americans, since obesity is associated with heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes and other unpleasantness. Inactive folks may see a loss of muscle mass of 5% per year after age 30, which means that things could get pretty dire for sedentary folks by age 60. Inactive seniors are especially at risk for obesity due to age-related loss of muscle mass or sarcopenia. Thank goodness an active lifestyle can reverse this to the point that an older athlete’s skeletal muscle is on par with a younger one’s. Dieting and aerobic exercise alone will decrease weight temporarily, but part of the weight loss includes muscle mass. When the diet stops, the dieter is set back due to less metabolically active tissue, and usually gains all their lost weight back and more. Don’t diet. There’s a better way.
Here’s the good news:
This study (I do recommend clicking and reading the article - it’s very well written) describes a precise and accessible 20 minute resistance training (RT) formula. SO - no more excuses that you don’t have time. Here are the salient points:
1) Resistance Training at 60-70% of your max effort (20 min per session) 2 to 3 X weekly is the key to maintaining metabolically active muscle mass. Here are some free 20 minute sessions you can do at home.
2) Adequate protein consumption to restore and maintain muscle tissue (3 to 4 x 20g increments daily)
3) Stretching either during the work out or immediately afterward helps retain your strength gains by keeping muscular nutrients flowing and maintaining functional muscle length.
4) Reasonable daily food intake proportional to your age and activity level. No unsustainable low calorie dieting because it results in loss of muscle mass, and sets you back once you stop.
5) Aerobic exercise (20 min per session) to maintain cardiovascular performance and complement the resistance training. But it’s not as all-important as the resistance training.
How and why does this work? A resistance training (RT) session at 70% of your maximum effort will shake your muscular system up enough that it will require time and energy to restore and remodel your muscles. Rebuilding your muscles to respond to the imposed demand burns calories (afterburn) and requires building blocks of amino acids, hence the protein consumption recommendation - point #2. This afterburn caloric expenditure during the muscle restoration period can last up to 48 hours after a workout, so give yourself a rest day or two in between RT sessions. You can also stagger sessions, so that you do upper body RT work one day plus 20 minutes of cardio, then lower body RT work the next plus 20 min of cardio.
We are always looking for a quick fix, but there isn’t one really. This is as close as it gets. Do it for 3 months and reassess your health, fat levels, energy, and muscular strength. One more reiteration, because 20 minute sessions seem too good to be true…
Adopt a moderate and reasonable caloric intake for your age and activity level.
Do 20 minutes of RT 2 -3 times a week complemented with cardiovascular exercise for another 20 minutes per session. A total of a 40 minute workout 3 x a week is sufficient! You don’t have to dedicate hours to exercise, simply be efficient and work hard during your sessions. If you must choose, pick the RT over the cardio. (But be wary of that, it’s like choosing flossing over brushing - they are both necessary. And cardio is easy to get - just go for a brisk 20 minute walk).
Eat high quality food that includes 15-20g of protein X 3 times a day plus one more 15-20g after a resistance training session.
A few words on protein:
Most omnivorous folks get enough protein. However, those who are dieting might lose muscle mass, putting themselves in a jeopardized position once they stop. Older adults may have a lower appetite, thus not getting enough protein or overall nutrients. Here are a few ways to boost your protein intake.
20g might be hard to stuff into your current diet! You might have to rethink proportions of protein to carbohydrate - replace low-quality carbs (anything with white or processed flour) with a protein choice instead. Here are some 20g of protein ideas: 1/2 C tuna, 1/3 C canned salmon, 15-20 medium shrimp, 1 C edamame, 6-7 oz tofu, 2 C milk, 3 oz of hard cheese, 6 oz Greek yogurt (Greek style is denser and higher protein than regular), 3 oz meat. Short cuts: a protein shake mix, or some well-vetted protein bars stored in your workout bag. Remember that other plant sources; nuts, beans and legumes are great sources of partial protein, but they must be complemented with grains within 24 hrs to get the full array of amino acids. Make sure you understand this food-combining point so you get all your nutrients. Also, drink adequate water.
Don’t get too crazy about this, just make sure that your meals are well balanced and have enough protein in them, and do resistance training at least 3 x a week to maintain and improve your muscle mass. Sounds a lot like “Eat well and exercise” doesn’t it? Just that the exercise part is more precisely defined.
Luckily, weight is something we can actively (pun intended) do something about. Resistance training boosts and improves lifespan and healthspan. Choose to make this weighty and wonderful decision, and commit to your current and future health.
