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BITESIZE | The Critical Importance of Strength Training | Dr Gabrielle Lyon #397

Oct 26, 2023 19m 7s 12 insights
My guest today believes that if we start to focus and prioritise our largest organ – our muscle – we can burn more fat, improve our body composition, decrease our risk of disease, and increase our energy levels. Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.   Today's clip is from episode 296 of the podcast with Dr Gabrielle Lyon – an osteopathic doctor who is board certified in family medicine. Gabrielle believes that the single biggest problem with our health these days is not that we carry too much fat but that we don’t carry enough muscle. In this clip, she explains why strength training is critical for our health and how it can help us live longer, stronger, and better lives.  Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com. Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/296 Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk
Actionable Insights

1. Build Muscle, Balance, Bone

Focus on increasing muscle mass, improving balance, and building good bone density as fundamental strategies to survive, thrive, and maintain functional independence as you age.

2. Regular Strength Training

Perform strength training three to four days a week, prioritizing multi-joint compound movements (e.g., squats, deadlifts) to promote muscle growth (hypertrophy), enhance metabolic function, and increase caloric expenditure.

3. Weekly High-Intensity Training

Engage in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) once a week, performing three 20-second all-out efforts with three minutes of rest between bouts, to significantly improve insulin resistance and glucose disposal.

4. Prioritize Muscle Care Early

Begin prioritizing the care of your skeletal muscle in your 30s and 40s, as its decline with age can lead to decreased metabolic function, glucose disposal issues, and reduced repair efficiency.

5. Embrace Discomfort in Training

Cultivate the mindset and discipline to push your body to uncomfortable levels during training, as embracing this discomfort creates capacity for aging well and augments physiological responses.

6. Engage in High-Intensity Movement

Incorporate bouts of high-intensity movement and lifting heavy things into your routine, as the human body is designed for this type of physical activity beyond just walking.

7. Prioritize Exercise Intensity

Choose more intense exercise for greater impact and efficiency, as high-intensity interval training can provide benefits comparable to longer, leisurely activities in a much shorter timeframe.

8. Personalize HIIT Intensity

Adapt high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to your personal fitness level, focusing on relative intensive effort (e.g., speed walking, chair stands), and consult a physician before starting.

9. Any Movement is Beneficial

Begin moving your muscles more, even if you can’t commit to an optimal regimen, because any physical activity provides significant benefits and is better than inactivity.

10. Creative Short-Burst Activity

Integrate creative, short-burst, high-intensity activities (e.g., skipping rope in one-minute segments) throughout your day to provide a beneficial stimulus, even without a gym or personal trainer.

11. Start with Bodyweight Exercises

Use bodyweight exercises as a valuable starting point for training, especially if other options are not available, understanding they might require more time.

12. Support Gut Health with AG1

Consider subscribing to AG1 daily health drink, which supports digestion and enriches the gut microbiome with beneficial bacteria, to improve overall well-being. First-time subscribers receive free flavor samplers, vitamin D3/K2, and a welcome kit.