Dr Gabrielle Lyon joins the podcast to discuss the importance of muscle mass for overall health, emphasizing its benefits on body composition, disease risk, energy levels, brain function, resistance training, and the significance of consuming adequate protein.
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Quick takeaways
Muscle mass is crucial for overall health, influencing metabolism and reducing the risk of disease.
The health of our muscles directly impacts the health of our brains, with skeletal muscle serving as a metabolic sink for carbohydrates.
Sleep and stress have significant effects on skeletal muscle health, emphasizing the importance of good sleep and managing stress for overall well-being.
Deep dives
The Importance of Skeletal Muscle for Health and Metabolism
Skeletal muscle is crucial for overall health and wellness. It makes up 40% of our body and plays a central role in our metabolism. Unhealthy skeletal muscle becomes less efficient at utilizing energy and can lead to insulin resistance. Our metabolic health has a direct impact on brain function. Skeletal muscle is not just about looking good or athletic performance; it is an organ of longevity.
The Relationship Between Skeletal Muscle and Brain Health
The health of our muscles is directly linked to the health of our brains. Skeletal muscle is an organ system that we have voluntary control over. It serves as a metabolic sink, disposing of carbohydrates and influencing blood glucose and insulin levels. When skeletal muscle is unhealthy, the body becomes insulin resistant, just like the brain. Alzheimer's is often referred to as type 3 diabetes of the brain. Maintaining a healthy metabolic state through skeletal muscle health is crucial for optimal brain function.
The Role of Sleep and Stress in Skeletal Muscle Health
Sleep and stress play important roles in skeletal muscle health. Good sleep allows for better muscle recovery and hormone optimization. Sleep deprivation can negatively impact muscle protein synthesis, decreasing the body's ability to build and maintain muscle. Chronic stress, both physical and psychological, can increase insulin resistance and blood glucose levels. Understanding the relationship between sleep, stress, and skeletal muscle health is essential for overall well-being.
Setting Standards and Cultivating Resilience for Health and Wellness
Setting standards rather than goals is a more effective approach to achieving health and wellness. Standards define how we show up and execute in our everyday lives. Committing to specific standards, such as a certain amount of exercise or a particular nutrition plan, helps build discipline and resilience. Neutrality and neutrality toward motivation are key, as motivation comes and goes. Consistently meeting standards and holding oneself accountable creates positive habits and cultivates self-belief and self-responsibility.
Getting into Resistance Training for Beginners
For individuals who are new to resistance training, starting with basic bodyweight exercises like push-ups, squats, lunges, and other movements that involve moving your own body weight is a great place to start. Graduating to resistance bands can provide a helpful progression before moving on to more challenging exercises like using kettlebells. It's important to find a modality that works and consider seeking guidance from a coach or curating information from online resources to ensure proper form and technique. The key is to take action and gradually increase the intensity of your workouts over time.
Making Exercise Accessible and Personalized
Even with limited financial resources, there are options for exercise. YouTube offers a wealth of free resources for bodyweight exercises and at-home workouts. Public libraries can provide access to online resources as well. For those who feel uncomfortable asking for help or advice, it's important to overcome that fear and reach out to someone who trains regularly, whether it's a colleague, friend, or family member. Many people are willing to assist and share their knowledge. It's also important to be creative and find ways to train that suit your lifestyle and preferences, such as incorporating exercise into daily activities like walking with weighted bags or finding unconventional training tools like Bulgarian bags. Prioritizing physical activity and finding what works for you is essential for long-term success.
My guest today 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. She 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.
Dr Gabrielle Lyon has a doctorate in osteopathic medicine and is board-certified in family medicine. She earned her undergraduate degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Illinois and completed a research & clinical fellowship in Nutritional Science and Geriatrics at Washington University. She is the founder of the Institute for Muscle Centric-Medicine™ and the author of a brand new book, Forever Strong: A New, Science-backed Strategy for Aging Well.
Dr Lyon first appeared on my podcast about 18 months ago. In that conversation, she made the compelling case that the quality of our lives is directly related to the health of our muscles. She explained how having more muscle can improve our metabolism, reverse insulin resistance, reduce our risk of disease, protect our skeleton and improve our mobility and balance. She also explained the critical role of resistance training and the importance of consuming adequate protein.
In this conversation, we pick up where we left off. We cover:
The crucial importance of muscle mass for all of us
The relationship between the health of our muscles and the health of our brains
The role of mindset when it comes to implementing new health-promoting behaviours
How to make healthy habits stick
Her exact exercise recommendations for both the time-pressed individual and the time-rich individual
How to reframe stress to make it work for us
The impact of sleep loss on our ability to build muscle
Why Dr Lyon is not such a huge fan of goals!!
This is a truly empowering conversation, built on the idea that ageing well is a choice. It is jam-packed with practical, real-world insights. I hope you enjoy listening.
DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.
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