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Looking good and being on the ball – even as you get older
Adults’ muscle mass decreases by 0.5 percent a year and is often replaced by fat. It’s less age itself that’s responsible, it’s a lack of exercise. This can be seen both in a loss of physical performance but also in the consumption of energy. As the percentage of muscle decreases and the percentage of fat increases, the metabolic rate decreases. This means that the body uses fewer and fewer calories when it is resting. This means you need to eat less if you don’t want to put on weight. Even better, though, would be exercising more and building up new muscles. According to calculations, every kilogram of muscle mass built up through training results in the burning of up to two kilograms of additional fat per year, and that’s without even going on a diet.
The mineral content of the bones also gradually decreases from the age of 40. In some cases this can cause serious problems. Bone density decreases measurably in women during the menopause in particular. As we get older, our cartilage gets thinner and less elastic, and looses its smoothness in areas that are subjected to particular strain. Overuse can easily lead to inflammation, and arthritis occurs. You can prevent this with exercise and weight training. Eating a diet rich in calcium also provides the body with important nutrients.
Of course our bodies change as the years go by, but our bodies have considerable reserve capacities. These need to be used sensibly.
Joint problems often occur as a result of underdeveloped muscles
Most everyday joint problems are caused by weak muscles. You can easily test this if you have knee problems. First try bending one knee carefully. If the knee does not start to hurt immediately, this is more likely to indicate underdeveloped muscles that quickly get tired and start to hurt. Most knee pain isn’t permanent and only occurs after the joint is strained in a particular way. Through targeted exercises, you can use the corresponding muscles to stabilise the joint and counteract the pain.
Can you lift weights at home?
During the initial phase, many people are better off in a gym with a qualified trainer. If you train alone using online videos or instructions in books, you will tend to overexert yourself and mistakes will gradually creep in. Exercises that are carried out incorrectly can lead to the muscles and joints being overloaded. It’s better to trust a professional who will monitor your training.
Why a health check-up is worth it
Beginners or those getting back into exercise should take it slowly. We recommend a sports medicine examination in those aged 35 or above. Even in sports, it’s all about the dose. A health check-up not only provides you with important information that gives you a sense of security, it can also form the basis of an individual training plan. With a sports medicine examination and performance diagnostics, you will get a recommendation for the intensity with which you should start exercising. For most people, it’s a lot lower than you expect. It’s also often a good idea to run with a heart rate monitor. Running at the right speed not only makes endurance sport more fun, you’ll also be able to exercise for longer. If you want to lose weight, though, you need to increase the effort. If you don’t train right it can often be frustrating when your workouts don’t result in any changes on the scales. You’ll be on the safe side with a check-up and will reach your personal goal more quickly.
If you can’t coordinate your body well, you’re more likely to fall
In just the last two weeks sports scientists identified how important coordination is for older people. If you are no longer able to coordinate your body as well, you’re at much greater risk of falling when doing sport or at home. Even in complex situations you can be more quickly overwhelmed, for example when parking a car when you have to look forwards and backwards but still have to operate the accelerator, brake and steering. Sports like tennis and football with their different demands on the body are great coordination training. Karate, Thai boxing, jogging on uneven paths and mountain biking in the wild where you constantly have to react, avoid obstacles and shift your weight are also helpful. Find a sport you like, or go dancing!
Breaking free of old habits makes you happy
The older we get, the more likely we are to fall into a routine. It gives us a feeling of safety and control. The human mind avoids almost nothing as much as it avoids boredom. It gets used to the things you do and no longer finds them stimulating. If you break out of your old habits more frequently and try something new, you’ll be happier. When you do new things, the body excretes the happiness hormone dopamine, and we experience a state of contentment.
It’s all about your posture
If you go through life hunched over, you not only look old but your pain will get worse too. Symptoms in the back, neck or shoulders that have developed over the course of the years lead to a hunched posture. Instead of resigning yourself to it, you should look for solutions at the gym or from an orthopaedic specialist, osteopath or physiotherapist.
Illness and sport are not contradictions
Numerous studies have now shown that exercise can improve the prognosis for some illnesses. Physical training is even suitable for patients with heart failure, because sport improves heart muscle function and expands blood vessels. You should, of course, consult a doctor. If your blood pressure tends to be high, you should have it measured on a regular basis as very high values are often only seen when people experience symptoms such as dizziness. Ill people need medical advice to ensure that sport does not become an additional risk factor.
Do you want to wind back your biological clock? You can keep your blood vessels young and reduce your biological age with a healthy lifestyle that includes enough exercise. We can help you with this with a targeted training regime and the right foods. Get in touch. We are happy to provide any advice you may need.
Petra Geisser