Body Recomposition In My Forties

As I entered my forties, my pursuit of a slimmer physique evolved into a journey of body recomposition. Body recomposition is a dual process of losing fat and gaining muscle simultaneously, a path less about weight loss and more about reshaping the physique. Yes, the unexpected rewards were aesthetic but more so enhanced metabolic health, elevated energy levels, a better mood and a more confident self.

Why is body recomposition more sustainable than extreme dieting? Extreme diets often lead to a yo-yo effect – drastic weight loss followed by rapid gain, including a detrimental loss of muscle and energy. I've been there, done that, numerous times. This time was different. I maintained a slight calorie deficit, reducing my intake by approximately 250 calories daily. This strategy is crucial because a larger deficit can lead to muscle loss, not just fat. Calories are the body's energy units, and when it senses an energy shortage, it breaks down both fat and muscle for fuel.

One crucial aspect of this journey is understanding the importance of maintaining and building muscle. Muscle is the largest organ in our body, and it plays a pivotal role in boosting our overall metabolism. By increasing muscle mass, we make our insulin response and the entire hormone cascade (cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid, etc) efficiently balanced. This efficiency is especially important as we age, as it helps in maintaining energy levels and preventing age-related muscle and bone degradation. Muscle is a high maintenance tissue meaning it takes energy to sustain. Since a calorie is a unit of energy, bodies with more muscle are able to burn more calories.

Protein intake has been a cornerstone of my regimen. Consuming 1 gram of protein per pound of my ideal body weight (115 grams per day for me) ensures that my muscles have the necessary substrate (amino acids) for growth and repair. This intake, combined with a well-structured strength training regimen, lays the foundation for muscle development. Muscles need substrate-protein and stimulus-resistance training for growth.

My weekly routine includes strength training five days a week, complemented by light cardio activities like walking or surfing. Resistance training sessions, usually lasting no more than 45 minutes, focus on compound lifts – exercises that work multiple muscle groups simultaneously, offering the most "bang for my buck." I ensure that the weights I use are challenging (an 8 out of 10 difficulty) for sets of three, aiming for about 10 repetitions each. I recently started seeing a trainer once a week which elevated my strength training game to the next level!! This small investment of a little extra money and time continuously returns compounding gains! (Ka-Ching!)

In addition to focusing on muscle growth, a significant part of my dietary approach involves consciously adding fiber and greens to each meal. This practice is vital for increasing satiety, optimizing gut microbiome health, and reducing overall inflammation. A healthy gut microbiome, nourished by fiber-rich foods, produces a substance called butyrate, which is a short chain fatty acid. Butyrate has an important role in modulating: gut integrity (think less bloat, less discomfort, better stool frequency and consistency), brain health (think improved: mood, cognition and decision-making), immunity as well as anti-inflammatory (think less: aches, pains & injury risk) and anti-cancer benefits.This dietary approach ensures that my body is not just leaner, but also more resilient and balanced from the inside out.

Sleep is another critical aspect of my body recomposition journey. An adequately rested body speeds up recovery and promotes a hormone balance that curbs unnecessary hunger and minimizes fat storage. When our bodies are not rested, we literally secrete more hunger hormones leading to an increased appetite (and we all know it isn’t an appetite for more celery and lettuce!) This holistic approach to fitness in my forties has not just reshaped my body, but it has also upped energy levels and helped mitigate some of the irritating symptoms of perimenopause!

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