A Good Podcast: Preventing Sarcopenia with EC Synkowski
Tips to slow the process of muscle loss as we age
Listen Here: The Consistency Project: Strategies To Maintain Muscle Mass As We Age
Nothing motivates the gym rat in me like knowing that 7 years ago I started losing muscle. Sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass as we age, begins at around age 30. Yikes!
In this short 30 minute episode EC Synkowski provides tips and tricks to slow down the process.
Some key takeaways from this episode, On The Fight Against Sarcopenia:
Sarcopenia begins at age 30 at a rate of .3% to .8% loss per year
After age 50 it increases to 1 - 5 % per year
Note: you can put on muscle after age 30 (especially if you’re new to exercise)
Exercise helps to prevent Sarcopenia
EC Synkowski’s #1 rule of exercise - “All exercise is better than none”
Work on resistance training 1 - 2x per week, and cardio (both short duration, i.e. HIIT, and long duration, i.e. swim or cycle) 3 - 4x per week
Get consistent, make the workout challenging, and don’t overcomplicate it worrying about the correct set rep system!
Nutrition to slow Sarcopenia
Focus on the #800gramchallenge (this has been a life changer for me)
Consume a minimum of .7 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight
Use creatine which can aid in the fight against Sarcopenia
I first got introduced to EC Synkowski in the book Built to Move, which introduced me to the 800 gram challenge, and I’ve been following her ever since as a subscriber to her weekly newsletter, where she discusses nutrition and health related topics. If you want a little primer to see what she’ all about, check out this 5 minute Ted Talk she gave five years ago, where she explains her simplistic and effective views on health and nutrition. Enjoy!