And no, this is not just a title to captivate your attention.

The truth is that people tend to avoid resistance training because they are looking for short term solutions. We live now in a world where comfort got to such a high level that you just need to move one finger to get your shopping list at your door. We live in a word that gives us the most options which have ever existed, from types of food to technology.

You probably can agree with me that this is amazing and we should be very grateful for living TODAY. But what happens when we are sabotaging ourselves for comfort? What happens when you select a gastric bypass surgery or a butt implant as opposed to getting those results naturally? You may call this Human Body Karma because life is going to strike you hard.

Although you might overcome some of your psychological traits through some visible results, you are the same person. You have not changed your habits; you have not worked for those results. Do you know what happens in the majority of cases when we receive something without working for it?

WE DON’T VALUE IT.

However, this is just one of the problems that short term solutions will face.

Coming back to the title of this article:

Resistance training can offer you the same results that you get from a butt implant or gastric bypass, but guess what?  Those results are sustainable. And not only sustainable…but those visual results that you get from resistance training have so many benefits that one article cannot even enumerate them. These statements are not from some ‘Fitness Books’ written by some ‘fitness gurus’ or ‘fitness influencers’. These claims have been widely researched, having strong cause-effects relationships. However, the average person will still want to do some exercises from Instagram because they look good.

Please, do not be that person. Make informed choices.

Getting back to the main reason for writing this article:

Studies showed that muscle mass declines between 3 to 8% each decade after reaching 30 years old, which is approximately 200g of lean muscle per year. If you think this is not a lot, muscle loss increases to roughly 400g/year after the age of 50.

Well, you may tell me that you are not interested in muscle mass and physical appearance; this being not an essential aspect for your psychological state, physical wellbeing, or who you are as a person. Well, I have to tell you that your body will hate you for this. Why is that?

Muscle mass is a prime influencer of a variety of metabolic risk factors such as obesity, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular diseases? Does it sound familiar to you?

Cardiovascular diseases are the number ONE cause of DEATH globally… Awkward, isn’t it? TV News will talk daily about all the ways possible that a human would die, but would rarely mention what THE GREATEST KILLER of Human beings is…

Resistance training has been proved to positively impact endothelial function, which plays a vital role in vascular tone, reactivity, and vascular health. The cardiovascular responses to resistance exercise impose pressure and volume overload on the heart (a combination of aerobic and isometric types). However, to obtain the most benefits of physical activity in terms of cardiovascular health, a combination of aerobic and resistance training is recommended.

It seems like the flow is leading me… this conversation could go in so many ways. Well, let’s get back on track with the muscle mass loss associated with age. While I shortly outlined you a few reasons why building muscle is not only about aesthetic, I hope you have already slightly changed your perspective on why preserving or increasing your muscle mass is a GOOD thing to do. Even more good news is yet to come; resistance training promotes muscle gains in men and women of all ages. It is a truth that an older person will not have the same capabilities as a young person or that females will not get the results that males will get. Still, no one said that you are going to become a bodybuilder anyway. Gaining muscle mass like a bodybuilder requires years of continuous practice, so girls do not be worried, the most you will get from resistance training is improved health and a fantastic physique if you are doing it right and consistent (no massive muscles for you, unless on PEDs).

Let me give you an analogy: resistance training is like reading. When you start reading, you get tired quickly; you cannot focus. During consistent reading, your brain gets used to it; you can concentrate, and gradually you get the ability to clear your mind and pick up one idea and analyze it in depth. After that, one day you start to read stuffs which captivate you and you can create some great connections in your mind…all of this is done with practice. It is the same with training.

But what happens when you stop doing it? The same as for reading, you lose your abilities. This process is called atrophy, and it is usually influenced by an injury that immobilizes you, prolonged time of sedentarism, or the aging process. Muscle loss starts a process in your body that triggers different negative actions like a domino game. In big terms, muscle loss leads to a metabolic rate reduction. If there is no muscle, the body will not need as many macronutrients and calories, so your body will slow down. But, what happens when the body slows down but you are eating habits do not?

You are right; you gain weight. But that weight is fat.

DO YOU SEE THE BIG ASSOCIATION NOW?

Not yet?

Let me explain it to you. Almost 80% of men and 70% of women over 60 years old are categorized as overweight or obese.

Do you see it now?

Well. I think you do. I am not saying now that all these effects are purely based around muscle mass. Hell no, the aging process is complex, and we do know that associations do not show any level of causation. So if two elements seem to be associated, it does not mean that one of them influences the other.

But overall, the take-in message from me is: get to love your muscles. They may improve your life more than you could possibly think of.

References can be provided upon request regarding the articles and statistics used in this.