SassyDiets

Standup! Hold! Sit down! Standup! Hold! Sit down......
Okay okay -which do you want me to do: sit or stand? Well neither actually. This is a test of how well you stand up with one leg while sitting on a chair (don't use handrest plz🧐) and to hold the stand position for 3 seconds. If you can't stand up from a chair on one leg now, you risk not being able to walk in your 70s.
Declining muscle mass(sarcopenia) is part of aging. After the sprit age of 30, you lose as much as 3-8% of your muscle mass with each passing decade and decline worsens after age 60. But that does not mean you are helpless to stop it. It takes a plan, works, dedication, and discipline. There are plenty of ways to prevent it and preserve the muscles you have got and get back what you have lost. Let's see what are these..

𝑴𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕
"still water breeds poison". Try to add movement to your day rather than sit, which slows your blood flow. Yoga, pilates, or lifting weights works but it could also be picking up a bucket to the garden, bicycle tour of your city, take your calls on the move. Bottom line: your workout should feel like play-time most of the time. If you have busy weekdays try to add a rigorous workout to your schedule once a week. Like HIIT (high-intensity interval training) – a unique resistance and aerobic training combination. HIIT alternates between short bursts of strenuous exercise and active rest for 20-30 minutes. For example, you might sprint for 60 seconds, walk for 30 seconds; do push-ups for 60 seconds, walk for 30; and so on.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏
You can't just exercise and not eat properly, and you can't just eat properly and not exercise. Eating protein-rich foods to help build muscle is the key. But you also need carbohydrates, which is the energy source your body uses to be able to exercise. But be sure to choose healthy carbs.

𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉
Building muscle is not all about strength, you also need power. Muscle power, how fast and efficiently you move, is more connected to the activities of daily living, and physical function than muscular strength. A good way to improve overall muscle power is with your legs since they are most responsible for mobility. Doing quicker movements against resistance, like one's own body weight, can be an effective means of developing power. For instance, when rising from a seated position, try to do it quickly. When climbing stairs, hold the handrail and push off a step as fast as possible. "It does not have to be every step—begin with one to three steps—but this teaches your muscles to use strength in a more effective way."

𝑩𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔
Hormone regulation is a key component in managing muscle mass. Estrogen preserves muscle, testosterone builds muscles, and growth hormones contribute to muscular performance — all of which assist to combat sarcopenia. You want to be certain all three hormones are performing properly and in balance. You can do this by getting your hormone levels checked, then working with your doctor to rebalance anything that is out of whack. The general rule of thumb is to start checking your hormone levels at age 40. However, hormone levels are particularly important to assess if you are a woman in your postmenopausal years because any hormonal imbalance will affect your muscle loss most.
Thinking about your muscle as you age is a very important factor. "The longer we stay active, the longer we remain able to stay active". Take charge of your health today and your body will thank you in your retirement times..believe me😀
Do try this challenge and drop a message in the comment section.

Working from home - Corona Chronicles !!

So this pandemic is allowing you to wear your pajamas to work, but don't you forget to practice social distancing at home (from your refrigerator guys)😷. With no definitive solutions to Corona in the near term, the internet is flooded with make-believe cures like antiviral magic foods, holy water from religious leaders, and गौ मूत्र remedies. So I decided to make you smile again with my doodle and a few tips to ensure working from home doesn't derail your diet.

○ Stick to a schedule: WFH means easy access to the kitchen and cupboard full of snacks. Plan your day like any regular working day, with a lunch break, a few smaller breaks and a focus on the most important meal: breakfast. Protein-rich breakfast keeps you full and keeps your sugar levels balanced so you are not looking for a snack in an hour.
○Eat away from your desk: Eating all meals away from not just your desk but also from your gadgets.
○Set caffein boundaries: The FDA says 400mg (equivalent to 3 cups of coffee) is typically safe depending on person and timings. The best time to have tea/coffee is between 8-10 am and 4-6 pm so that it doesn't interrupt your natural sleep and wake cycle by triggering a release of adrenaline and setting you up for a crash in an hour.
○ Increase Hydration: Always keep a glass of water on the worktop at all times. The glass sitting there acts as a reminder and it helps you avoid unnecessary snacking. Try infusing water with lemon, orange, tulsi, and mint to boost vit-c.
○Keep Good-for-you options ready: You don't want to overdo it with snacking but you also don't want to starve yourself. Make sure your cupboard is stocked with healthy snacks like chopped cucumber/carrots, roasted channa, khakhra, puffed rice, dates, fox nuts, popcorn, and roasted peanuts. If there are trigger foods that will tempt you to snack or overindulge (like Nutella, juices, cold drinks, ice creams, cream biscuits) make sure they are not in the house.
○Walk Carona: Since it's absolutely essential to maintain social distancing in the current scenario, workout routines have surely gone for a toss. It's important to make time for movement but if you don't have any workout routine try to follow pic-2. It's fun seriously...
So plan your day mindfully, a low nutrient-dense breakfast & lunch that spikes blood sugar is a recipe for a crappy work afternoon. But a much more productive and creative afternoon can be had after a proper lunch. Stick to a healthy eating schedule and try to find time for physical activity, breathe deeply to reduce stress and clock in the right amount of quality sleep. Do not forget...
Happy inside, Happy outside!
Keep calm,stay home & be kind!