u/Low_Concentrate_3549

You do not necessarily need to exercise every day to start protecting your muscle as you age. For novice lifters and people whose previous activity levels were limited, studies have shown that a single weekly resistance training session can actually lead to significant muscle gains.

This is a conversation about early gains, but in general, it is recommended to target major muscle groups at least once a week, the World Health Organization recommends two or more muscle strengthening sessions during the week.

What is sarcopenia?

As we age, our muscles lose mass and power. This condition is referred to as sarcopenia. In addition to the obvious decline in strength, this means that the joints are inadequately supported and protected, leading to a higher risk of fractures and falls.

Not all types of exercise are created equal

While walking and riding a stationary bike are great forms of endurance activity, they do little for maintaining and building muscle mass. Resistance or weight training is necessary to stimulate muscle growth, however, it may not be as intimidating as most people believe. It can be done with free weights, machines at the gym, or even one’s own body weight as a source of resistance. A weight that is too light will not do any meaningful work, but it should be heavy enough that the person training cannot do more than about 12 repetitions.

What are the reasons for not training?

Among the most common barriers to strength training are indecisiveness, fear of injury, and the belief that “the gym is not for me.” However, sometimes these obstacles can morph into an identity, which can be dangerous since there is no objective basis for distinguishing between healthy and pathological muscle gain.

If a single weekly session can be beneficial, what is the problem with following such a program?

A convenient excuse

I recently stumbled upon a conversation that resonated with me on another topic. “The body is mortal, what is there to it, anyway?” said one user.

Whatever the intention was behind the message and whatever interpretation you would like to make of it, it appears to be a great excuse to not take care of one’s body. Thoughts of detachment and disregard for the body are not conducive towards maintaining physical and mental wellbeing. Taking care of the body is not a goal in itself, just as not taking care of it is not a pathway towards greater fulfillment.

We tend to say, “I am 30 years old,” as if the body has one fixed age. But the body is not one unchanging thing.

Cells die and are replaced at very different rates. Intestinal lining cells are replaced within days; red blood cells last about 120 days; liver cells may persist for years; fat cells renew slowly while their total number stays relatively stable. Bone is continuously remodelled too often described as being renewed roughly every ten years, though that is an oversimplification. Some cells can remain for decades or even a lifetime.

So the body contains many “clocks,” not one. Some parts renew rapidly, others slowly, and some barely change. There is no single, permanent physical structure that stays exactly the same throughout life. Yet we still call it my body.

The body you had ten years ago is not identical to the body you have now. Your thoughts, opinions, emotions, relationships, appearance, and achievements also change. Still, you keep calling all of it “mine.”

This raises a deeper question: what exactly is this “I” that claims ownership?

Perhaps the ego(the borrowed/false sense of self) does not simply find things to own—it creates the sense of ownership. It attaches the word “mine” to a body, an opinion, a memory, a relationship, an achievement, or even a failure.

If the body is constantly changing, who is the “I” clinging to it?

Maybe this “I” is not truly tied to any particular thing,not the body, thoughts, or relationships. Maybe “mine” is simply a label the ego(the borrowed/false sense of self) sticks onto changing things.

So instead of answering too quickly, it may be worth investigating: If my body is continuously changing, then who is this “I” that claims to own it?

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