How can we know that the effort we are putting into our health and fitness is having a positive long term impact ensuring we can continue to live life on our own terms and not merely satisfying our egos?
Here at SSA.fit we have a simple approach that will help you understand how your current fitness level is impacting your life moving forward.
> How fit you are (your Vo2 max) will determine how long you are going to live
> How strong and mobile you are will determine how enjoyable those years are
> Your muscle mass you have will determine how long those good years last
> Your obesity status you are will determine your health status throughout those years
Example: Good runners often have very little body fat, are very fit but can lack in mobility, strength, and muscle mass, suggesting a good life expectancy with good health but often will be impeded on enjoying those years due to joint and mobility issues Conversely, a bodybuilder who looks after their mobility but neglects cardiovascular training will likely have a shortened life expectancy with potentially some health complications along the way but will be able to enjoy those years due to good physical health.
While the above are polarised examples they give an idea to how the four statements work in the real world, so how do we ensure we take action that will lead to a long healthy life where we can remain physically active and mobile throughout its duration.
Vo2 Max
Improving your fitness levels is one of the easiest things to do and one of the most impactful when you start out on your fitness journey, which is one of the reasons for the popularity of aerobic classes and activities such as running for so many people aiming to ‘get fit’, the progress is seen very quickly often with minimal effort.
The drop off however can also be quick, and if we don’t continue to work on it throughout our life levels can fall off at approximately 10% per decade after the age 30 and 15% per decade after the age of 50.
That is why it is…
1/ A good idea to improve it while we are young and
2/ Look after it as we age.
For best results try using both steady state and interval style training sessions.
Steady state is about choosing a pace for any CV activity that allows you to move at a low intensity for up to 40 minutes. During this time your heart rate should increase progressively over the period up to a maximum of around 85% indicated by an increase in breathing rate and perspiration whilst being able to maintain a level of light conversation.
For the interval training, look to work 4 minutes on 4 minutes off, again with any activity of your choosing, but this time choosing a pace that would be difficult to go longer than four minutes and you should definitely not be able to hold a conversation during this time with a HR approaching 95% of it’s max towards the end. During your rest period continue the activity but at a very low intensity.
Strength and Mobility
Strength is often what lets us down as we age and slowly we have to let go of the things we love to do due to the impact on our bodies. The stronger and more mobile we are the longer we get to do the things we love. In order to prevent this strength training is a MUST twice per week, every week, until the day you die.
When you take up strength training almost anything will see an improvement but focus initially on the postural element of strength ensuring we can stand up right for longer before looking to push and pick up and grow the musculature of the body. If you put considerable effort into ensuring you move a variety of muscles through full ranges of motion while you train you will also ensure you build your mobility and flexibility along the way.
If you are unsure, look to consult with an experienced coach for advice.
Muscle Mass
Increasing muscle mass consumes huge amounts of energy and given that one of our greatest strengths as a species is our ability to conserve energy it will not do this lightly. It needs to be forced. This means performing movements and exercises that stress our bodies in such a way that it feels, in order to ‘survive’ it must add muscle mass to our frame. The best time to do this is in our 20s and 30s when the hormones that support this process are in their prime. Beyond this we enter a slow downward spiral where we will lose 3 – 8 % muscle mass per decade and as much as 1-2% per year after 50.
I suspect those reading this are in the latter categories so what can you do?
In the simplest terms possible… You must repeatedly lift weights and carry things that challenge you, not in a way that will damage the joint structure or cause injury but in a way that your muscles feel fatigue, and you have to exert more force than you are used to in order to complete. I would recommend doing this on at least 2 occasions per week but closer to 3 if possible.
In order to support the growth and maintenance of the muscle mass you have you must also ensure the body is supported nutritionally by eating adequate protein 1.5 – 2.0g per kg of body weight; remaining adequately hydrated more than 2l of water per day; supplement with vitamin D and creatine which support muscle function and repair.
The benefits of increasing muscle mass are not just found in the muscles but also in the tensile strength of our ligaments and tendons and in our bone density which is also improved in order to support the growing force placed on it by the tensions created.
Obesity
Obesity leads to ill health in almost all categories, the longer you live with obesity, the more sick you can expect to be, equally the greater strain you will put on your musculo-skeletal system having to contend with more injuries and pain. This further reduces your capacity to move and hastening you toward an earlier demise.
I am sorry if this sounds tough, but it is a reality.
Obesity is not to be confused with being overweight, overweight may not be ideal, but it has not been shown yet to have a severe impact on health, it is only as you slip into the obese categories that we start to see the real negative impact on individuals. If you do find yourself slipping into the obese maybe it is time to slowly move the dial back in the other direction, making the small changes that might just change your life.
Overall, think of your health and fitness like a pension, the earlier you start investing, the longer you invest into it, and the more you commit to the fund, the more you are going to be able to rely on it as you age.