How can you tell if your muscles are “thinning”?

In addition to keeping you healthy, sports can help you build muscle mass. But what if after prolonged training your muscles somehow stopped growing or started to shrink for no apparent reason? Let’s try to understand with trainer and nutritionist Andrei Semeshov.

What are muscles made of and why can they shrink?

According to the trainer, from the point of view of the body, muscles are unnecessary ballast. For their construction is used what is not needed to feed the brain, heart and other important organs. But if necessary, the body can easily get rid of muscle mass, because it is much more important to provide nutrients to vital systems.

Starting to do sports, a person, as a rule, changes the diet plan, including reducing the daily calorie allowance. And the body needs to adjust to the new system. Muscles are the first to “go away” when the diet is reduced. To avoid this, it is necessary to make physical activity a habit, to exercise regularly, gradually increasing the intensity. Then the muscles will not be something “unnecessary”.

What is important for muscle growth?

Another reason why muscles do not grow or even shrink may be the lack of essential amino acids. That’s why it’s important to take in protein on a regular basis when exercising, for example by eating meat, eggs, fish and cottage cheese. You can calculate how much protein you need: 1-1.5 g of protein per 1 kg of weight.

Vegetarians and, in general, all those who limit the consumption of any products, it is necessary to make a diet individually, taking into account this factor. To do this, you need to consult with a fitness trainer or even a doctor, if there are contraindications. Although, if desired, in sports nutrition stores you can find protein mixtures without added ingredients, the consumption of which is limited.

How do you realize that you have started to lose muscle?

As a rule, this happens after a long break between workouts. Here are a few signs that will help you determine that you have lost weight in your muscles.

Weakness. You feel that you have become physically weaker. Norms that you used to perform with ease now seem impossible.

Changes in measurements. Weight loss in most cases occurs evenly. So if you suddenly notice that your arm has become thinner, but your waist has not, this can also speak of muscle loss.

Changes in body composition. This method is the most effective and accurate, according to the expert. You can get a bioimpedance body analysis done at many fitness centers and medical organizations. The result will show how much fat and muscle tissues are in your body and in which areas they are concentrated. This will help not only to notice changes in time, but also to adjust the training program. And if you want to monitor your performance on a regular basis, you can invest in a smart scale.