Lean muscle mass refers to the amount of muscle on your body minus any fat. Having more lean muscle is beneficial as it boosts metabolism, supports bone health, improves mobility and athletic performance, and gives the body a toned appearance.
How to build lean muscle mass:
- Exercise, especially strength training, signals your body to grow and maintain muscle. Focus on compound moves like squats, deadlifts, and presses which work multiple large muscle groups at once.
- Eat enough protein - shoot for 0.5-1 gram per pound of body weight daily from foods like chicken, fish, eggs, and Greek yogurt. Protein provides amino acids that are the building blocks for growing and repairing muscle tissue.
- Get adequate rest and recovery - muscles grow during downtime between workouts, so 6-8 hours of sleep plus rest days are key.
What impacts lean muscle mass gains?
- Hormones like testosterone and human growth hormone play a vital role in building muscle. As we age, production starts declining, making it harder to gain and maintain lean mass. This is where Hormone Harmony Clinic can help - through customized hormone optimization programs using bioidentical hormones, we can help patients boost lagging hormones to youthful levels, leading to better body composition and fitness.
Signs you may have low muscle mass:
- Fatigue/weakness
- Sarcopenia - age-related muscle loss
- Low strength and endurance
- Weight gain, especially around the midsection
Benefits of optimizing lean muscle mass:
- Speed up metabolism and burn more calories
- Manage a healthy body weight more easily
- Reduce injury risk by supporting tendons/ligaments
- Enhanced athletic performance
- Healthier body composition as you age
- Feel younger, livelier, and more energetic!
In summary, building lean muscle requires smart strength training, proper protein intake, and adequate rest. As we get older, supporting muscle growth gets harder due to declining hormones. Getting tested and starting a customized hormone therapy program at Hormone Harmony Clinic can help patients optimize their hormones for better fitness, body composition, and vitality. Act now to learn more!