A major part of our lives are devoted to work, with 70-80% of all our time invested in it. Since life in the corporate sector mostly entails zero to negligible movement, we are at risk of exposure to non-communicable diseases like Diabetics and Hypertension. Another downside of an inactive lifestyle is loss in muscle health which is common especially to those whose jobs encompass long hours behind the desk. Good muscle health ensures that we can enjoy all the key moments that life presents to us, like going to walk with colleagues’ post lunch or managing the incessant travelling that one often has to deal with. With good muscle health we remain active at work and this momentum is maintained even when we are at home spending quality time with our friends and family.
This opens the discussion of why muscles are so important in our lives. We need muscles to help us with our daily basic physical activities like walking, running, lifting objects. The genesis of all physical movements emanates from the network of 600 muscles that crosswise our body. Muscles are the base for physical movements. Contrary to the conventional perception of muscle health being synonymous with bodybuilders and sportspersons, everyone needs to pay attention to their muscle health especially since sedentary lifestyle tips the scale unfavourably for it. An inactive lifestyle which is common in today’s corporate age can accelerate muscle loss which can now happen in the thirties itself. The underlying benefits of muscle health are far-reaching. The interaction of muscle mass and fat mass in the body determines the metabolic health of an individual. Poor muscle health can spoil the posture and even make a person prone to falls.
Managing muscle health is an important life lesson. Introducing small incremental changes in lifestyle will help to curb the downward spiral of muscle health. Measures like climbing stairs instead of lifts, walking while holding conversations and eschewing seat in favour of a standing desk at work will pave way for physical movements and break the spell of inactive period. Doing stretching exercises at work seems farfetched at the beginning but if implemented can help you realize the goal of improvement in muscle health.
Diet plays a pivotal role in ameliorating muscle health. A protein-rich diet ensures that muscle loss which occurs daily is kept in check by new muscle synthesis. It maintains the balance of muscle gain with its loss. Now why protein helps to catalyze muscle synthesis is because all muscles are made up of proteins which is its basic component. Since we need to consume protein, it would be helpful to know what is the desired quantity that will be efficacious. A Corporate professional with a sedentary lifestyle should consume around 2300-3500 calories and a woman in the same set up would need about 1900 to 2800 calories in proportion to their daily physical activity. The unwritten rule says that on an average, a person needs about 1 gm of protein per kilogram of body weight. For maintaining good muscle health, an average man should consume about 60 g of protein, while women need 55 g of protein per day.
Proteins are split based on the configuration of amino acids in them. Animal sources of protein like Chicken, Egg, milk, Seafood are complete proteins and contain all the essential amino acids while foods like cereals, lentils and nuts have proteins which are labelled as incomplete since some of the amino acids are missing in them .
The ideal approach is to consume a portion of protein-rich foods in every meal, that way one is able to accumulate the required quantit. It is, however, difficult to follow this approach as the dictates of corporate life often leave little room to prepare a meal which is balanced in all aspects. The gap of protein in our diet can be matched by consuming protein supplements which come in various formats like biscuits and powders.
-By Dr. Nandan Joshi, Head – Nutrition Science and Medical Affairs, Danone India
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the doctors are their independent professional judgment and we do not take any responsibility for the accuracy of their views. This should not be considered as a substitute for physician’s advice. Please consult your treating physician for more details.
TNN/timesofindia.indiatimes.com