Page 36 - Retail Pharmacy Assistants September 2020

34 WEIGHT LOSS FROM PAGE 33
“You might need to do a bit of resistance training, and try yoga for balance,” he said. “As we get older,
our body becomes ... more resistant
to growth signals and therefore we lose muscle. There’s often a lot of confusion because you can gain weight dramatically but in fact you can lose muscle dramatically and the two things are linked.”
Adding to the discussion around muscle mass and metabolism, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Dietitians Australia spokeswoman Lisa Renn (lisarennbodywarfare.com) agrees that “a higher muscle mass means naturally having a higher metabolism”.
“That’s where exercise can be really important, and the whole idea of doing resistance exercise as we age means that we keep up that muscle mass, and will more likely preserve that metabolism,” she said. “Changes in body composition can be experienced but [muscle loss is] more likely due to being inactive.”
Due to the importance of maintaining muscle mass while ageing, Dr Sostaric says strength training should be a high priority. This is because of the effect muscle loss has on accelerating ageing.
“If you’re age accelerated, your risk of developing more of the age related chronic conditions accelerates as well, including cancers,” he said.
Dr Sostaric suggests that while it’s beneficial for people to see an exercise physiologist for bespoke guidance
on helping maintain muscle mass,
as a general guide he recommends “compound exercises ... that can be done very easily in the home with very little or no equipment”.
He recommends squats, lunges and push-ups, with multi-muscle movements and larger muscle movements.
Consistency is key when it comes to exercise, he adds.
“Three sets of five exercises [for example, squatting, push-ups and lunges], three times per week is an excellent way to maintain muscle strength,” Dr Sostaric said.
When it comes exercise and diet, he says seeking professional advice is important.
“Even if you know a bit [about diet and exercise], it’s important to be risk assessed,” he said. “Pharmacists [and pharmacy staff] should refer on. They have more reach and play a surrogate role for the GP. [They have the] opportunity to provide a gateway for people. So, saying they might not have all the answers but they know where to refer on.”
Eat smart
Weight loss, especially as we age, involves a delicate balance between energy in and energy out.
“There are definitely changes that occur with ageing [hormonally], but I don’t think we can just sit back and say it’s all [to do with] ageing [and that] this would have even happened if I was being active and watching what I ate,” Ms Renn said.
“It’s about making people aware of the differences in their activity and their energy expenditure. And clearly, if your metabolism is changing ... if you’re not paying attention to muscle mass, then these are things that technically you’ll need to know about. So, eating less and moving more is the basic premise of weight loss, but ... as people age, it’s about reminding them about that.”
While people may find reducing food portion sizes tricky, Ms Renn says it’s down to how we balance our meals.
“We’re kind of aiming for a plate that looks like a quarter meat, a quarter carbohydrate and half vegetables,” she said. “And that’s enough to fill you and get through to [your next meal].
“There’s a difference between more than you need and not eating enough. So, I always suggest to people if
they’re hungry between a meal, that’s actually good because that’s what you’re supposed to do. You’re not really supposed to get from breakfast to lunch, or from lunch to dinner – that probably means that you’re eating a little too much at your meals. Most people will get hungry between [meals] and that’s good ... basically a meal just needs to get you two and a half to three hours further down through the day, at which point you eat again.”
Another thing to consider is the type of food you’re consuming – with protein being king for muscle maintenance and appetite control.
“Often people are turning to carbohydrate-rich foods ... lighter carbohydrates like rice cakes ... instead of a sandwich,” Ms Renn said. “And because they have less fibre and substance, so to speak, that’s certainly not going to be very satisfying. So, [including] protein there is not only good for preserving lean muscle mass when you’re trying to lose weight, but it’s also good for satiety.”
Addressing diet and muscle maintenance, Mr Quigley adds that “protein, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids and amino acids – particularly creatine – work well”.
“We’ve just got to learn to harness these things as we age,” he said. “We can improve our metabolic age by ... eating more protein, by cutting down on portion size, leaving the sugary drinks alone, increasing physical activity and being careful when we choose carbohydrates. And again, none of that is all that difficult, but it’s a lifestyle change.”
Intermittent fasting: are
there benefits?
Generally speaking, Ms Renn says most “diets ... are a predictor of future weight gain”.
“Whereas the diet in the short term might help you reduce calories, which is all reducing portion sizes does as well, or reduce energy intake, it’s
Accredited Practising Dietitian Ms Renn suggests the following balanced snack options for between meals:
•
• • •
Rice cakes with cheese or hummus.
Glass of milk.
Tub of yoghurt.
Handful of nuts.
“Those [snacks] will be far more
sustaining and more likely to give you the vitamins and minerals you need,” she said.
Focus on fitness
As we get older, we tend to slow
down and become more sedentary, so exercise becomes even more important: it helps to keep us healthy overall, while also supporting weight-loss efforts if required. To help maintain exercise motivation, Dr Sostaric suggests a shift in focus.
“People often focus on, ‘I need to lose weight’,” he said. “The focus is very much on that: on their body fat mass [rather than on getting] ... stronger.”
He adds that if people understand the importance of exercise, particularly as they age, they will understand the need to be strategic about it.
RETAIL PHARMACY ASSISTANTS • SEP 2020