Losing pounds doesn't always turn out to be fat.
In addition to maintaining health, sports help to increase muscle mass. But what if, after prolonged training, the muscles for some reason stopped growing or even began to shrink for no apparent reason? Let's try to figure it out with the trainer and nutritionist Andrey Semeshov.
What are muscles "built from" and why can they shrink?
According to the trainer, from the point of view of the body, muscles are unnecessary ballast. For their structure, what is used is not needed to feed the brain, heart and other important organs. But if necessary, the body can easily get rid of muscle mass, because it is much more important to provide vital systems with nutrients.
Starting to play sports, a person, as a rule, changes the dietary plan, including reducing the daily calorie intake. And the body needs to adapt to the new system. Muscles are the first to "leave" when the diet is reduced. To prevent this from happening, you need to make physical activity a habit, exercise regularly, gradually increasing the intensity. Then the muscles will not be something "unnecessary".
What is important for muscle growth?
Another reason why muscles do not grow or even shrink may be a lack of essential amino acids. Therefore, when exercising regularly, it is important to take in protein regularly, for example by consuming meat, eggs, fish and cottage cheese. You can calculate how much protein you need exactly like this: 1-1.5 g of protein per 1 kg of weight.
Vegetarians and, in general, everyone who restricts the consumption of any products, it is necessary to make up the diet individually, taking this factor into account. To do this, you need to consult a fitness trainer or even a doctor if there are contraindications. Although, if desired, protein blends can be found in sports nutrition stores without added ingredients, the consumption of which is limited.
How to understand that you have started to lose muscle?
This usually happens after a long break between workouts. Here are a few signs to help you determine if you've lost muscle mass.
Weakness. You feel that you have become physically weaker. The norm, which was previously carried out with ease, now seems beyond the power.
Measurement changes. Losing weight in most cases occurs evenly. Therefore, if you suddenly notice that the arm has become thinner, but the waist is not, this may also indicate muscle loss.
Changes in body composition. This method is the most effective and accurate, according to the expert. Bioimpedance body analysis is available at many fitness centers and healthcare providers. The result will show how much fat and muscle tissue in your body and in which zones they are concentrated. This will help not only to notice changes in time, but also to adjust the training program. And if you want to regularly track your performance, you can spend money on "smart scales".
