Get Ready for Your Week of Exercise and Health
Navigating fitness after 40 can feel like solving a puzzle. Questions about building muscle, managing energy, and balancing workouts often come up, especially with hormonal changes. Is testosterone essential for muscle growth? How do carbohydrates, protein, and fat fuel your workouts? And how do strength training and cardio fit together for the best results? In this post, we’ll explore all of this to help you make the most of your week of exercise and health.
Muscle Growth After 40
As hormones like testosterone decline in midlife, many wonder if building muscle is still possible. One of my clients recently thought muscle growth couldn’t happen without testosterone, while another, starting hormone replacement therapy (HRT), noticed faster strength gains and attributed them to the hormone boost.
Here’s the truth! Testosterone plays a role in muscle development, but it’s not the only factor. Your ability to build strength and muscle comes from smart training, proper nutrition, and recovery. Even in midlife, your body can adapt and grow stronger with the right approach.
Women do produce testosterone, with levels varying based on age, hormonal changes, and health conditions. Testosterone is primarily made in the ovaries, adrenal glands, and tissues that convert other hormones. Even after menopause or a full hysterectomy, the adrenal glands and peripheral tissues continue to produce small amounts. Men produce most of their testosterone in the testes, with smaller amounts coming from the adrenal glands. While levels naturally decline with age, strength training and proper nutrition allow men to continue building muscle even with lower testosterone levels.
The Burn: What It Means for Cardio and Strength Training
The familiar “burn” during exercise reflects metabolic stress, but what’s happening depends on the type of activity.
Strength Training: The Burn That Builds Muscle
What’s Happening:
During heavy lifting or short bursts of high-intensity exercise, your muscles rely on glycogen (stored carbs) and anaerobic metabolism (energy without oxygen). This quick energy system powers the effort but produces metabolic byproducts like lactate, leading to the burn sensation.
Why It Matters:
Muscle Growth (Hypertrophy): Lifting heavy weights stresses your muscle fibers, prompting repair and growth.
Increased Strength: It engages fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are responsible for power and size.
Metabolic Boost: Building muscle increases your resting metabolic rate, helping you burn more calories even when you’re not exercising.
Cardio: The Burn That Builds Endurance
What’s Happening:
Cardio activities like running or cycling primarily use slow-twitch muscle fibers and rely on aerobic metabolism (oxygen-supported energy production). Initially, your body uses glycogen, but with prolonged activity, it shifts to burning fat.
Why It Matters:
Heart Health: Cardio strengthens your cardiovascular system, reducing the risk of heart disease.
Blood Sugar Control: Aerobic exercise improves insulin sensitivity and helps regulate blood sugar levels.
Endurance: Builds stamina and supports recovery between strength training sessions.
How Carbohydrates, Protein, and Fat Fuel Your Fitness
Carbohydrates: The Primary Energy Source
For Strength Training:
Glycogen stored in your muscles is the main fuel for intense, short bursts of activity. After training, replenishing glycogen through carbohydrates (e.g., sweet potatoes, rice) supports recovery and prepares you for your next workout.
For Cardio:
Carbohydrates fuel moderate-to-high-intensity cardio, and during prolonged sessions, they help maintain energy before the body taps into fat stores.
Protein: The Muscle Repair Hero
Protein doesn’t fuel exercise directly but plays a critical role in repairing and rebuilding muscle tissue after workouts.
Aim for .8g–1.6g of protein per lb. of lean body weight daily from sources like lean meats, fish, eggs, or plant-based options like tofu and beans.
Fats: The Endurance Fuel
Fat is a long-lasting energy source, especially during low-intensity or prolonged exercise.
Healthy fats from avocados, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish support recovery, hormonal balance, and overall health.
Common Mistake: When Strength Training Becomes Cardio
It’s common to blur the line between strength training and cardio. For example, lifting light weights without pushing to failure or performing fast-paced circuits with minimal rest can turn a workout into a cardio session.
Why This Matters:
For Muscle Growth and Strength: You need to focus on lifting heavy weights with enough intensity to challenge your muscles. Aim for 6–12 reps to failure with adequate rest between sets.
For General Fitness: Circuit-style workouts are great for cardiovascular fitness but won’t maximize hypertrophy or strength gains.
The Best Approach
To maximize your results, combine strength training and cardio:
Strength Training: 2–4 sessions per week focusing on progressive overload.
Cardio: 2–3 sessions per week, mixing steady-state and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or Sprint Interval Training (SIT).
This balanced approach builds strength, supports heart health, and helps you feel your best.
Final Thoughts
By understanding how your body uses fuel and responds to different workouts, you can create a balanced routine that builds strength, improves endurance, and supports your overall health.
Let’s Chat!
How do you balance strength training and cardio in your weekly routine? Are you fueling your workouts with the right nutrition? Leave a comment and share your thoughts below! 💬
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