Shift focus from solely fat loss to prioritizing muscle health, as muscle is the body’s largest endocrine organ and is crucial for burning fat, improving body composition, reducing disease risk, increasing energy, protecting the skeleton, improving mobility, and reversing insulin resistance. This is the “organ of longevity” and directly correlates with quality of life, improving survivability across nearly all disease states.
Make the first meal of the day the most important for muscle protein synthesis, aiming for 30-55 grams of high-quality protein. This is critical because the body is catabolic overnight, and hitting this threshold, especially with sufficient leucine (around 2.5g), stimulates muscle growth machinery (mTOR), which is vital for all adults, particularly as anabolic resistance increases with age. Plant-based individuals may need to aim for the higher end (55g) to account for protein quality.
Incorporate strength or resistance training three to four days a week, focusing on compound, multi-joint movements (e.g., squats, deadlifts, bench press, kettlebell carries). The goal is hypertrophy (muscle growth) through metabolic and mechanical stress, working to perceived exertion or near failure, as this builds “body armor,” improves glucose disposal, and increases total caloric expenditure, enhancing survivability and resilience.
Perform high-intensity interval training (HIIT) at least once a week, potentially twice for women in menopause. This involves short, all-out efforts (e.g., three 20-second bouts with 3-minute rests) to create metabolic flux, utilize substrates, and significantly improve insulin resistance by enhancing glucose transport into skeletal muscle, providing a potent stimulus in a short amount of time.
Cultivate a mindset that embraces physical and mental discomfort, recognizing that challenge is essential for human thriving and growth in all domains. This means pushing the body to uncomfortable levels, potentially including one to two “suck” workouts per week, as this discipline augments physiological responses and builds resilience.
Strive for a total daily protein intake of one gram per pound of ideal body weight to optimize muscle health and counteract anabolic resistance. This overall daily target, combined with strategic meal distribution, is crucial for maintaining and building muscle mass, especially as the efficiency of protein utilization decreases with age.
Include at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous cardiovascular training per week (e.g., running, brisk walking) to improve mitochondrial health, overall wellness, and immune system function by stimulating the secretion of beneficial myokines like interleukin-6, which can counterbalance inflammatory mechanisms.
Establish a family culture of physical activity and discipline, as children are highly anabolic and benefit significantly from early training for muscle mass potential. Parents should model active behaviors, making physical activity a non-negotiable and fun part of daily life to foster long-term health and prevent childhood obesity.
For sedentary individuals, limit carbohydrate intake to a maximum of 40-50 grams per meal to prevent excessive insulin stimulation and optimize glucose disposal. This helps manage blood sugar levels and supports overall metabolic health, as the body has a meal threshold for processing carbohydrates efficiently.
For aging individuals, particularly those at risk of falls or muscle wasting, consider supplementing with 5 grams of creatine daily, in addition to optimizing protein intake, to help offset muscle loss and support muscle health and function.
Women in perimenopause and menopause should be mindful of an increased risk of injury due to decreased estrogen affecting tendons and ligaments. While increasing training is crucial, avoid highly explosive movements like box jumps on their own and prioritize careful, controlled resistance training.
If a meal’s protein source is insufficient to reach the leucine threshold (e.g., a single salmon fillet or plant-based meal), consider adding a branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) powder in a 2:1:1 ratio (leucine, isoleucine, valine) to boost leucine levels and trigger muscle protein synthesis, ensuring all essential amino acids are still consumed from food.