Muscle Matters

Hey - Happy Friday! I hope doing well.

Let’s talk about health goals. For much of my life, mine centered around weight loss.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering “the thinner, the better” mindset that’s pervasive in the modern world.

However, this misguided focus had negative impacts far beyond my mental health.

Take high school soccer preseason for example.

Our training was vigorous - sprints, push-ups, and ball control drills for what felt like hours, followed by a three-mile run & an hour of scrimmaging.

Then we’d go home, rest, and come back in the evening to do it all over again.

Even with all this training though, my insecure ass was eating 1000-1200 calories… trying to lose weight.

I wanted to get leaner, faster, and more confident.

But I was going about it the entirely wrong way… 

Under-eating messed with my performance, recovery, and even my metabolism, a chronic issue that I’m still navigating to this day.

After finding the weight room in college and training consistently since then, what I’ve learned is:

Building muscle & strength is far more important than simply aiming to get lean.

“But you’re a man,” you might say. “You don’t understand the social pressures & body issues complexities faced by women.”

And you’re absolutely correct.

While I can’t fully understand the female experience, I deeply empathize with the beauty & body image challenges that many women face.

In a culture steeped in diet culture & weight loss propaganda, it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that being thin is the ultimate goal.

However, the research is increasingly clear: prioritizing muscle health has far-reaching benefits, especially as we get older.

And here’s the funny, full-circle fact: building muscle boosts your metabolism, which in turn helps you lose weight.

So today, let’s consider some of this research & explore two practical steps that you can take to build muscle without spending hours in the gym each week.

Understanding Muscle: The Metabolic Powerhouse

Skeletal muscle is about far more than looking good or being able to move heavy things…

It serves as a vital organ with functions crucial for glucose disposal, insulin sensitivity, and overall metabolic health. 

Meaning, it’s involved in hundreds of bodily processes and is central to the body’s ability to digest & absorb nutrients.

After decades of research, many doctors are now confident that building muscle (& thus improving our metabolic health) is one of the most important things we can.

Muscle Building vs. Fat Loss

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, a functional medicine doctor & founder of Muscle Centric Medicine, argues that many health issues come from too little muscle, not too much fat.

Why?

Because muscle serves as a storage site for glucose, and elevated glucose & insulin levels are at the root of inflammation & many chronic diseases.

There’s a lot more science involved in this process, which is explored more deeply in Dr. Lyon’s book, Forever Strong, as well as the podcasts linked below.

But overall, this perspective is a wellness paradigm shift, and I’m excited for a future in which health practitioners integrate these concepts more & more.

So What Can We Do?

1) Strength training is the easiest & most effective way to gain muscle.

There’s a wide-range of options & approaches, depending on your current strength & experience level.

And while I’ve learned a lot on my own health journey, I’m by no means an expert when it comes to fitness.

So I’d recommend checking out Mind Pump, my favorite health podcast & blog.

2) Protein is the most important macronutrient for body recomposition, and its importance only grows with age.

It plays a crucial role in muscle protein synthesis: the process by which muscles grow & repair.

The amino acids included in protein are also fundamental to immune function, while others play a role in hormone production.

Nutrition experts recommend eating 0.8-1.0 grams per pound of bodyweight.

To learn more, check out the article & podcasts below.

Thank You for Reading

Dr. Lyon's insights challenge us to reorient our focus - away from disease prevention & towards health improvement.

Until next time, have a fantastic week ahead.

With gratitude,

Aidan