Lose weight and keep muscle… What are the best eating habits?

Lose weight and keep muscle… What are the best eating habits?

 

Losing weight while preserving muscle mass is incredibly difficult. Drastically reducing carbohydrate intake can lead to lethargy and dizziness, interfering with daily life. It's also worrisome to lose muscle mass while maintaining belly fat. The natural decline of muscle mass in middle age adds insult to injury. Let's explore relatively healthy ways to lose weight.

 

I drastically cut down on carbs… Why did I lose muscle?

 

 

By the time you're in your 50s, natural muscle loss is already well underway. If you drastically cut out carbohydrates like rice and bread to manage your weight, you could lose even more muscle. Carbohydrates stored in the body as glycogen are used for energy during activity. When glycogen depletes, muscle protein is also consumed. Naturally, rapid muscle loss can lead to health problems. Sarcopenia in cancer patients is more dangerous than the cancer itself.

Mackerel instead of dry chicken breast ?… protein 22.97g vs 20.2g

 

 

Fitness experts eat chicken breast because it's high in protein and very low in fat. According to the National Standard Food Composition Table (per 100g), chicken breast contains 22.97g of protein and only 0.5g of fat. The only downside is that it lacks flavor. In this case, try mackerel. Mackerel has 20.2g of protein, similar to chicken breast. You can eat them alternately. Eating mackerel boiled with vegetables and onions rather than fried is more beneficial for weight control.

 

Middle-aged people should check for calcium deficiency. … milk , yogurt , vitamin D etc.

 

 

Dieting in middle age is difficult because the body undergoes drastic changes. Reducing food intake due to calcium deficiency and muscle loss can also negatively impact bone health. While milk's calcium is easily absorbed, some people avoid it due to digestive issues. In this case, consider calcium-fortified yogurt. Vitamin D is also necessary for calcium absorption. Exposure to sunlight for about 20 minutes in the morning can help produce vitamin D. Mackerel is also rich in phosphorus, which enhances the effects of calcium. Phosphorus plays a crucial role in bone and tooth health, energy metabolism, and nerve transmission.

 

Safe muscle stimulation exercises … “ You have to move to stay healthy "

 

 

Even if you reduce your food intake, you still need to move your body. During the COVID-19 pandemic, you may have felt muscle atrophy after staying home for long periods of time and then going out. Muscles lose muscle mass more quickly when they're not stimulated. A good exercise you can do at home is the heel-to-toe exercise, where you raise and lower your heels. You can even do this while brushing your teeth, holding onto a support bar. Maintaining upper body muscles with dumbbells is also beneficial. Even if you eat fewer carbohydrates, you should focus on maintaining muscle mass through protein intake and exercise.