Check out the ‘Signs of losing muscle mass?’ It’s a sad reality that normal life events like weight loss and aging can make you lose lean muscle mass. In fact, around the age of 30, many people see a 3% to 5% decline in their supply of lean muscle every ten years, according to Compass by WebMD.
Listen carefully to understand the five warning indications that you are losing muscle mass without even realizing it if you haven’t already.
Don’t miss the following article, 5 Exercises Men Should Avoid To Regain Muscle, says an expert.
Dieting, being sedentary, chronic diseases, and aging can all cause a decline in muscle mass.
People frequently aim to lose weight, but this can have the unintended side effect of reducing muscle mass as well, according to Mike Bohl, MD, MPH, ALM, Ro’s director of medical content and education and a member of our Medical Expert Board. Your body needs a certain amount of energy to function properly each day. Your body is deprived of the energy it requires to function if you are on a diet and eating fewer calories.
According to Dr. Bohl, “[When dieting], the aim is that your body would then burn fat for excess energy—which is primarily what it does—but, to a lesser extent, your body also burns protein (especially if you’re on an extreme diet and your body is looking everywhere it can for an energy source).” “But dieting isn’t the only situation in which muscle mass can be lost. Everybody naturally loses some muscle mass as they age, certain chronic diseases can result in a loss of muscle mass, and even leading a sedentary lifestyle can result in a loss of muscle mass.”
If you’re aware that this might be happening, you can take proactive action to alter the situation so that you can continue to be independent and function normally.
5 Signs of Losing Muscle Mass
1. You’re losing weight too fast.
Rapid weight loss is a clue that you’re also losing muscle. Dr. Bohl advises, “If your objective is to reduce weight and you can see the numbers on the scale dropping day by day, this may first appear like a wonderful thing. However, it can also be an indication of overtraining or excessive dieting, which can cause your body to become malnourished and lose both fat and muscle.”
A typical healthy plan calls for losing one to two pounds per week, or four to eight pounds per month. Muscle loss could occur at a faster rate.
2. You’re not progressing, or your workout is getting harder.
Your workout regimen feeling harder or your progress plateauing are two other signs of muscle loss. According to Dr. Bohl, “Your muscles may need some more care if you feel weaker, are having trouble completing tasks you used to be able to do or aren’t experiencing any increase in strength at the gym over time.”
3. You’re more tired than normal.
You may be losing muscle if you’ve noticed a recent increase in fatigue. If you’re feeling lethargic or low-energy, your body may be burning muscle as a result of a lack of nourishment, according to Dr. Bohl.
4. You may look less muscular.
Although it could take some time to actually see a change in your appearance, you might detect one. Pay attention to how your clothing looks, especially in areas where you tend to be more muscular. If your sleeves are generally tight across your biceps or your shirt is normally tight across your chest but all of a sudden things feel looser, it may not just be fat that you are reducing but also muscle mass, according to Dr. Bohl.
5. You’re dropping pounds, but your composition is the same.
Last but not least, you’re probably shedding muscle as well as fat if you’re reducing weight but your body composition is staying the same. Dr. Bohl notes that there are a variety of methods for determining body composition, such as using calipers or bioelectrical impedance measurement (which passes a weak electric current through the body).
Therefore, if your weight has decreased but your body fat % has remained constant, you haven’t only been reducing fat. Body composition measurement equipment is available for purchase and is frequently used in gyms (for example, many contemporary scales now contain bioelectrical impedance analysis).
Now that you know the Signs of losing muscle mass, let’s discuss what you can do about it.
After you’ve addressed the cause of the muscle loss, you should focus your efforts on protein intake and strength training. As Dr. Bohl explains, “The best thing you can do for preserving and strengthening your muscles is to work out. It may sound easy, but it works. You can achieve this by both structured and unstructured activity, such as yard work and other physical labor. Structured exercise includes visiting to a gym and working out with machines, free weights, or bands.”
He reveals that 1.4 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight should be consumed daily to increase and maintain muscle mass.
After you’ve addressed the cause of the muscle loss, you should focus your efforts on protein intake and strength training. As Dr. Bohl explains, “The best thing you can do for preserving and strengthening your muscles is to work out. It may sound easy, but it works. You can achieve this through both structured and unstructured activity, such as yard work and other physical labor. Structured exercise includes visiting to a gym and working out with machines, free weights, or bands.”
He reveals that 1.4 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight should be consumed daily to increase and maintain muscle mass.
