How One Hour a Week Can Change Your Life

When was the last time you said to yourself, “I need to focus on eating enough protein and lifting heavy weights.” What I often hear more of is, “I want to lose weight.” We now know the number on the scale is not the most important aspect of our health, wellness and longevity. Our body composition is much more important. This blog post will address why building muscle is important and how you can change your body composition in one hour a week.

Why Building Muscle has to be a Focus

Let’s go down deep to the cellular level. Let’s talk about mitochondria, the powerhouse of your cells. Mitochondria converts food energy into cell energy. Every cell in your body has mitochondria in them. Some have thousands, others way less. It all depends on the job the cell has. The thing I want you to remember here is how healthy your mitochondria are determines how healthy your cells are and in turn how healthy you are. The healthier you and your cells are, the better your body will be at building muscle, burning calories, fighting off infections and disease and ultimately allowing you to age with vitality and vigor.

I talk about building muscle all the time. Mostly on the gross level of helping our bodies stay strong and stable, helping to prevent joint pain and osteoporosis and that all still applies. Understanding in a basic way why your body needs to build muscle will help sway you from the fear of looking big or bulky. On the contrary, muscle is lean and takes up way less space pound for pound on your body than fat. 

Protein Will Help You Build Muscle

In order to build muscle your body needs branch chain amino acids (BCAA). One in particular is Leucine. BCAA’s are needed for your body to build and repair muscle. BCAA’s are found in protein, which is why I’m always urging you to prioritize protein. Aside from helping to repair and build muscle, BCAA’s help:

Regulate blood glucose.

Prevent muscle loss.

Aid in wound healing.

Aid in controlling weight.

One Hour a Week to a Stronger, Sleeker You

Afraid you don’t have the time for a proper strength workout? This time-lapsed video shows my workout including a MELT NeuroStrength warm up for stability, a quick jumping warm up and five sets of five repetitions of heavy weights and a cool down all completed in less than a half hour. I do a workout like this twice a week to allow my body to repair itself on the days in between. You literally need just an hour a week for strength training to be effective and see and feel results. 

Building Muscle While You’re Sleeping

We don’t build muscle during our strength workouts. It is in recovery when the muscle building happens. This is why it’s critical to give ourselves a couple of days in between heavy strength days. Don’t worry, you can still do your cardio and HIIT workouts and do the movements you love like golf, gardening, tennis, pickleball and dancing. We just need to let our muscles recover. Sleep is one of the most passive ways to build muscle. If you’re lifting, consuming enough protein and staying hydrated, your body can build muscle much easier and while you’re sleeping. Talk about multitasking. 😂

The Connection Between Muscle Building and Mitochondrial Health for Women Over 50

For women over 50, the relationship between muscle building and mitochondrial health becomes even more crucial. As we age, our mitochondrial function naturally declines, which can impact our energy levels and muscle mass. Prioritizing strength training not only helps to counteract this decline but also stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis—the process of creating new mitochondria. This is particularly important for women in this age group, as maintaining muscle mass can prevent sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss), enhance metabolism, and improve overall vitality. By focusing on building muscle through targeted strength training, women over 50 can boost their mitochondrial health, leading to increased energy, better recovery, and a more resilient body. Embracing this holistic approach empowers women to take control of their health, ensuring they remain strong and active in their golden years.

In Conclusion

Mitochondria health should be the focus for all of us. It’s hard to focus on something we can’t see and at the cellular level. But, if you want to change your body composition or in old school terms, lose weight, especially after 50, we need to take care of our cells. No matter what your personal goal is, better skin, less fat, more tone and definition, better digestion or more energy, it all comes down to how healthy is your mitochondria? How healthy are you at the cellular level? Every choice you make will affect the health of your cells. If you’re struggling with making healthy changes or you’re not sure where to start or what to do, set up a complimentary Discovery Call with me. I will ask you some questions, get to know you a little better and explain how we can work together. It’s just a conversation, but one that can be life changing.