The title may not sound interesting to you, but if you’re concerned about building muscle, read on.

Anabolic and catabolic refer to states the human body is in at any given time, in relation to the muscles. Basically, if you’re in an anabolic state, your muscles are building and growing. If you’re in a catabolic state, your muscles are breaking down and shrinking.

Anabolic State
Obviously, it’s the state preferred by most of us who want to maintain or increase muscle mass. While it may sound like you have to constantly pump iron to remain in an anabolic state, this couldn’t be further from the truth. All you really have to do is this:

1. Eat a balanced diet (that includes carbs and low-fat protein), preferably consisting of smaller portions several times throughout the day, including right after you work out. You want to aim for protein and carb “mini-meals” every couple of hours. This provides your body with a consistent stream of food to convert into energy. When you don’t have enough food, your body will just steal muscle tissue to convert into energy (dieters beware: this means you shouldn’t under eat either). And don’t forget the most important meal of the day: breakfast!

2. Did you know that your muscle grows when you’re actually not working on it? That means you need to give your body time to let it build up, which is why you have to take a day or two off to rest before you work on an area again when strength training. How long you rest is just as important as how long you work out.

3. Don’t overtrain. Doing countless reps and sets simply overexerts your body and can easily damage muscles, actually forcing it into the catabolic state. It’s best to do reps and sets in a number that suitably achieves your desired outcome. For example, if you’re muscle building (hypertrophy), you may need to do moderately heavier weight with a higher number of reps and sets. For this reason, talking to a personal trainer in Toronto will help you determine the most suitable exercise regimen for you – something that isn’t counterproductive and will maximize the time your body remains in an anabolic state.

There’s no way we can stop our bodies from entering the catabolic state, since it would be abnormal if we did. But these tips can help you avoid it as much as possible.

We all know as we get older, it becomes harder to stay in shape. The workout regimen we did in our 30s no longer achieves the same desirable effects when performed in our 50s.

Unfortunately, the loss of muscle tissue is one of the signs of aging. Regardless of the number of weights we lift, our skeletal muscle cannot claim the same capacity it once had in our youth. From our mid 40s and beyond, it becomes increasingly slower to build and more difficult to maintain. With the involuntary loss of muscle tissue and fibre atrophy comes a decrease in physical strength, which is why (among other factors) it becomes more challenging to lift things and perform daily tasks. Less energy is expended while resting also occurs. This condition all human beings experience is known as sarcopenia.

Why Sarcopenia Occurs
Sarcopenia occurs due to a number of factors. A decrease in hormonal concentration is noted as one factor. With age, concentrations of growth hormone (GH), testosterone, and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) decrease, which may cause sarcopenia since they are all vital in protein production and maintenance. As most fitness enthusiasts already know, protein is essential in muscle tissue.

Research has shown that the loss of muscle mass can also be attributed to a dysfunction of the mitochondria. Nicknamed the powerhouse of the cell, the mitochondria generates adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a molecule essential in assisting muscle tissue to contract and relax. It is also vital in the processes of cellular growth and death. However with age, mitochondria declines in function thereby adversely affecting muscle tissue.

Dietary and lifestyle habits can accelerate the rate at which sarcopenia occurs. Habits such as inactivity, smoking and consuming large amounts of fatty food have been pinpointed

Fortunately, all is not lost once you hit your 40s. You can reverse some of the effects of sarcopenia by performing suitable exercises.

The Importance of Resistance Training
Resistance training is an important part of any exercise regimen. To delay and possibly reverse the onset of sarcopenia, resistance training should be performed at least twice a week, targeting all of the major skeletal muscle groups, such as the gluteals, pectorals and abdominals. Modifying dietary habits can also help maximize results.

Effective resistance training will positively affect protein synthesis and create more lean tissue mass. Consult your doctor or professional health practitioner for the best exercise regimen appropriate for your body.