Experts warn about hidden muscle atrophy (High protein diet and strength training during weight loss efforts)

Medical Xpress / Universität Hohenheim / Clinical Nutrition / Obesity Facts ^ | May 15, 2023 | Gianluca Gortan Cappellari et al / Lorenzo M. Donini et al

[ConservativeMind]

It mainly affects people who are obese: due to a lack of exercise, this population group can suffer from gradual muscle atrophy, which remains hidden under the fat layer and thus undetected.

Young people can suffer from muscle loss if they are obese, explained Bischoff. "As obesity increases, first the muscle mass increases to compensate for weight gain. After that, muscle mass often reaches a tipping point where it starts to decline again due to lack of exercise."

The dangerous thing about it: in severely to morbidly obese people, the layer of body fat hides the dangerous loss of muscle.

Warned Bischoff. "Patients with muscle atrophy are significantly more susceptible to disease. Life expectancy also decreases."

This connection was also illustrated during the COVID pandemic. "Because muscle atrophy in obese people also affects the respiratory muscles, they had much more severe courses of illness due to decreased respiratory capacity," said Bischoff.

To diagnose what they call "sarcopenic obesity," the proportions of fat and muscle mass in the body are determined and muscle function is measured.

"We speak of sarcopenic obesity when both the proportion of muscle mass is too low and muscle function is already impaired," said Bischoff.

"We have to pay even more attention to keeping the muscle mass untouched or rebuilt as much as possible during weight loss. The most promising way to achieve this seems to be a combination of strength training and a high-protein diet."

Bischoff said he has recommended the high-protein diet for decades and uses it in his own practice: "Until now, we've recommended the high-protein diet primarily because it satisfies hunger quickly, thereby increasing weight loss success."

There would likely be a need for adjustments in exercise therapy: "More important than endurance training seems to be lifting weights—the way bodybuilders and weightlifters do."

[mcatch22]

Light yoga, with push-ups and pull ups and sit ups every morning, less Shabbos.
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push ups are a gift from the exercise gods.
600 every morning is my workout routine. been doing pushups around 10 years now. of course when I started, I could only do two half assed pushups. been doing 600 daily for several years since I retired. Back into 32 waist jeans and medium shirts.
better physique than in my younger days too. a lot of protein, low carbs, low processed foods and no canola, soy or seed oils.

[SkyDancer]

Get the Equate brand, comes in a black plastic container which is great for other uses.

[mac_truck]

Bone broth is an excellent source of protein because it has a very high protein to calorie ratio, and its good for your gut.

[Jewbacca]

600 push ups is quite a lot.

I typically just do 50; maybe 3-4 sets of 50.

But I also bench heavy (sometimes 5/3/1 reps) and consider push ups more of an ancillary daily exercise.

[ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton]

I recently started added lifting to my seasonal mountain biking at age 65. Two critical things for success for me were an app that is easy to use and keeps track of everything (Simple Workout App) and protein power.

I was checking my Strava on the popular trails around here yesterday (Northern Colorado Springs) and I hold age group (65+)records on a lot of them.

And I’d say really I have never been in this good of shape in my life but I am still not taking it all that seriously and I am still kinda of lazy slacker.

But another thing I’d add is since we are all going to be foraging for food soon I started watching those survival reality shows. People with good abs SUCK at surviving after a few weeks of reduced calories, so keep that in mind.

[mcatch22]

You are doing great!
I can't do pull ups or curls due to elbow pain, so push ups save the day for me. You got to do what is right for your own body.
I do 12 sets of 50 push ups every morning after coffee. Takes about an hour to hour and a half depending on what I do when resting between. I used to do 900, but I got too tired the rest of the day, so I found my sweet spot