Are you already frustrated with your New Year’s resolution to lose weight and get healthy? Sometimes it can be discouraging when you’re counting calories and watching the scale, then not reaching the goals or seeing the results you desire. Maybe it’s time to throw out the scales and change your focus! According to Imogen Watson, registered dietician and Medical Nutrition Manager of Adult Nutrition for Abbott, muscle mass is an essential key in maintaining a healthy body weight and is critical to your overall health. Weight loss isn’t always a positive thing! Most often, during weight loss, there is also muscle loss. Muscles make up 50-60% of our total body weight and are the largest component of our Total Lean Body Mass (LBM) – which is everything in our body except for fat. This is different from your Body Mass Index, which is a measure of your weight relative to your height and estimates the amount of fat in your body. Muscles play a critical role in our day-to-day function! Not only do we need muscle mass to maintain strength, but it is also vital for energy, balance, movement, organ function, immunity, wound healing, and skin elasticity. As we age, we naturally lose about 8% of muscle mass per decade, and that number doubles after the age of 70. Muscle loss can lead to an increased risk of fractures, falls, and prolonged recovery from illness. It is important to maintain a core level of muscle mass so we can lead a more active and healthy life! If you would like more information about maintaining a healthy LBM, contact our friendly staff at Edge and we’ll be happy to give you more information.
