Can consuming plant protein consistently help keep muscles healthy later in life? A new study conducted by researchers in China found some positive results.
While plant-based foods have recently exploded in popularity in Western countries, people living in Eastern regions such as China have consumed plant-based proteins as part of their cultural diets for centuries. The new study examined how this high intake of plant proteins is affecting China’s older population, particularly when it comes to muscle mass.
The cross-sectional study was based on 4,826 participants aged 60 and older drawn from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) of 2018. Researchers analyzed self-reported dietary data—collected during three consecutive days over 24-hour periods—and found that the majority (two-thirds) of total protein consumed among participants came from plant-based sources.
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In their analysis, researchers found that participants who consumed the total highest amount of protein and the highest amount of plant protein had an association with higher muscle mass. When it came to animal protein consumption, researchers did not find a significant association with muscle mass.
While plant protein has a positive association with muscle mass, researchers noted that the population they studied—which came from 15 provinces across China—consumed just below 20 grams of protein per meal. This is less than the recommended 25 to 40 grams of protein previous studies have established is ideal for muscle synthesis in older adults.
In the new study, researchers found that higher daily protein intakes, more than 78 grams for males and 68 grams for females, could be ideal for preventing muscle loss but noted that more research is needed here.
Plant protein and muscle mass
When it comes to aging, a major concern is sarcopenia, a condition characterized by muscle loss that leads to decreased function and quality of life. Could consuming higher amounts of plant protein be the key to maintaining muscle mass for healthy aging? The answer is complex.
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“The traditional Chinese type of diet is [characterized] by large amounts of cereals and vegetables. Thus, plant protein intake contributed more to the total dietary protein intake than animal protein intake,” the authors explained their findings. “It is possible that the ingestion of greater amounts of vegetable-source proteins may be [able to] achieve the same anabolic response evoked by smaller quantities of animal-source proteins.”
The authors explained that while animal protein provides all essential amino acids, it brings with it high amounts of saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories—which can be avoided with a well-planned diet focused on plant proteins.
“Thus, in order to enhance the nutritional quality, the Chinese Nutrition Society suggests people to consume cereals and legumes together,” the authors advised, adding that “ascorbic acid found in vegetables and fruits can enhance plant protein absorption.”
Researchers noted that their limitations here lie in the nature of cross-sectional studies which cannot determine causal relationships; the dietary recall design that only measured data from three consecutive days, collected from summer to autumn, which does not take into account seasonal variations of protein consumption; and the inherent bias behind self-reporting dietary data.
They also noted that their ability to detect a significant association between muscle mass and animal protein might have been limited by the fact that participants consumed a much smaller proportion of animal protein as compared to plant protein.
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While plants continue to be a predominant source of protein for Chinese adults living in rural areas, the researchers explained that people who inhabit cities are shifting their protein intakes toward animal sources—a trend they intend to study in the context of sarcopenia.
Plant-based diet and healthy aging
Recent research on Western demographics bolsters the findings in this new study. When it comes to issues with muscle loss in older women specifically, a study published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia, and Muscle in June examined link between protein sources (plant, animal, and dairy) and incidence of frailty, which is characterized by fatigue, slowed walking speed, weak muscle strength, and unintentional weight loss.
Researchers here analyzed data from more than 85,000 women aged 60 and older who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study, one of the largest studies investigating risk factors for major chronic diseases in women.
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Their findings? Higher intake of plant protein is linked to reduced risk of frailty while higher intake of animal protein is linked to higher risk of frailty. The researchers also found that replacing animal protein with plant protein might help to avoid the development of frailty.
Research conducted on other demographics has also linked plant-based diets to various health benefits for older adults, including a reduction in medications prescribed; reduced risk of certain types of cancers; and an improvement in menopause symptoms such as hot flashes.
She added that the perception of time is also influenced by memory and how much you’ve experienced. For an 8-year-old, a week is a big portion of their life. For an 80-year-old, a week is a much smaller portion of their life, which contributes to the feeling that it went by quickly.
A day in the life of a retired 80-year-old may feel like it’s going by more slowly than that of an 8-year-old who is busy at school. However, when both people look back on a month or a year, that period of time will seem like it went by faster to the older person.
This is for a number of reasons. For the 80-year-old, their life probably doesn’t look too different than it did when they were 78 or 79, “so, in that case, they’re looking back on fewer events,” Lustig said. “When you’re looking back, the less rich your representation is, the more it’s going to seem like the time went by quickly.”
The many experiences young children have in a day (such as learning new things at school, going to ballet class or visiting a new friend’s house) contribute to the notion that time is more plentiful and more activities can fit into that time. Therefore, when looking back, time may feel slower.
This can apply to adults, too. When we look back on a time period that was filled with lots of new experiences, “we see [a] large expense of events and memories, and that makes it seem like time stretches out … and it feels very long,” Lustig said. If you’re not introducing new patterns into your life, time can feel like it’s going by much quicker overall.
How we process what we see can also influence how we view time, Bejan said. Our brains are trained to receive many images when we are infants. Because we’re absorbing so many new images as kids, it may feel like months and years are longer.
This could mean picking up a childhood hobby (like dancing or violin), taking an overnight trip to a city you’ve never visited or signing up for a cooking class. Learning new things is another good way to make your time feel longer when you look back on your life, he said.
Lustig noted that being fully engaged and “in the moment” can make those moments seem to last longer. In fact, laboratory studies show that mindfulness exercises can stretch our perception of time, she said. So don’t try to focus on multiple tasks at once. Instead, just focus on the experience at hand.
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Do you know you could elevate yourself to a whole new level just by following simple healthy habits that are bound to enhance your life? There are at least 53 habits you can add to your list of personal goals for improving your quality of life, starting today!
I imagine you’re quite eager to make significant changes for personal and professional growth and could use a few ideas. In anticipation of your needs, I’ve outlined new routines that promote physical, mental, and emotional health, employment success, and overall happiness.
What are Healthy Habits?
Healthy habits are things you do daily, frequently, or routinely thathave a positive impact on your physical and mental well-being. Habits form over time from repeating the same routines and behaviors. Eventually, they become things you do by default or subconsciously without having to think them through.
Developing positive habits such as eating healthy and exercising helps protect you from chronic physical and mental problems. You’ll feel and function better and get closer to achieving a better work-life balance.
According to a 2009 study by the European Journal of Social Psychology, it could take between 18 and 254 days to form a new habit. Having the right mindset and sticking to the habit can shorten the timeframe.
53 Healthy Habits for a Healthier Lifestyle
You can literally transform your life by changing the way you eat, sleep, work, treat yourself, or deal with personal relationships. All you have to do is to follow set routines, be disciplined, and be patient until they become a natural part of your everyday life.
Healthy Eating Habits
1. Eat breakfast every day
Breakfast is the “most important meal of the day.” You need it to replenish the supply of glucose your body lost overnight. A healthy morning meal provides the nutrients needed for your brain and body to function well.
Wake up early, so you’ll have enough time to prepare your meal. Make a healthy breakfast consisting of grains, e.g., oats, proteins, e.g., eggs, fruits, vegetables, and dairy, such as fat-free yogurt.
2. Eat whole foods
Eating whole foods can help correct nutritional deficiencies that arise from eating too much fast food. They have a higher nutritional value than processed foods, e.g., wheat bread, and can lower the risk of diabetes and other chronic diseases. Stock up on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, milk, yogurt, lean meats like chicken and fish, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
3. Have a “no-meat” day
Meat is packed with proteins and is a healthy part of your diet. Too much meat, especially red meats like beef, can increase the risk of high cholesterol and heart disease. Choose a day of the week you won’t eat meat, e.g. Fridays. Substitute it by adding more greens to your plate, such as spinach.
4. Increase water intake
Drinking plenty of water helps remove toxins from your body and replenishes fluids lost through sweat and urine. Water also optimizes the movement of nutrients and oxygen to your cells. Drink 8 glasses of water a day, as recommended by doctors, to stay hydrated and keep your body and joints functioning well.
5. Reduce sugar intake
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), reducing sugars can lower the chance of obesity and heart disease. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends drastically cutting back on added sugar to no more than 200 calories per day (about 12 teaspoons).
Stop adding sugar to your tea, coffee, or cereal. Consider zero-calorie sugar substitutes such as Stevia. Remove foods high in sugars from your daily diet such as sodas, fruit juices, cakes, and puddings.
6. Quit snacking in between meals
Snacking in between meals can cause unwanted weight gain, especially if you consume those that are considered junk foods, e.g., chips, cookies, and sodas. Eat a solid breakfast to prevent adding extra calories to your diet and stave off hunger and cravings in between meals. If you need to boost energy, opt for a healthy snack such as a protein bar.
7. Stop binge eating
Binge eating is consuming a lot of food when you’re not hungry and in one sitting. Doing this regularly can lead to weight gain or an eating disorder if it’s done to cope with emotional distress. Develop the habit of eating fiber-rich meals and drinking a lot of water to curb overeating. Also, keep a journal to track moods that trigger food cravings.
8. Remove soda from your diet
Sodas are sugar-filled drinks that generally do not contain nutrients and do nothing more than increase your calorie intake. Opt for unsweetened beverages or 100% fruit juices. Limit the replacement beverage to 1-2 servings a day. Grab bottled water instead of reaching for a soda, even if it’s a ‘diet’ soda.
9. Read food labels
Know what’s in the foods you consume. Take a few minutes to read the nutrition content and ingredients they contain. Some foods contain substances that can trigger allergies or otherwise make you sick. Watch for sneaky marketing strategies like 100% fruit juice “from concentrate” to avoid consuming artificial sugars.
Healthy Exercise Habits
10.Keep yourself active
You don’t have to be gym-bound to exercise. Keeping your body moving is considered exercise. Physical movement increases blood circulation, burns calories, and helps maintain heart health. Take the stairs up instead of the elevator or get up and move around your office every 30 minutes.
11.Exercise at least three times a week
A formal exercise routine is another healthy exercise habit to build. Regular exercise strengthens your muscles, reduces the risk of diabetes and heart disease, and helps manage weight. Choose something you’re comfortable with, whether it’s jogging outdoors, running on a treadmill, stair climbing on an elliptical machine, swimming, or aerobics.
12. Get outdoors for short walks
Walking is a simple and quick way to relieve tension and stress. Taking a 30-minute early morning walk daily is a great way to boost your energy for the day. Following your lunch break or after work is fine if a morning walk routine isn’t practical. What matters is getting some form of exercise and mental relaxation on those walks.
13. Track your steps with a fitness device
I bought a step-tracking watch to count my steps daily and chart calories burned. A wearable step tracker helps you to be more active. You can also use it to help maintain your weight. Shoot for the popular daily goal of 10,000 steps or set a higher goal. Activate the built-in alarm that lets you know it’s time to get stepping.
14.Do yoga
Yoga is a popular way to engage in low-impact exercise and can be as effective for weight management as formal gym exercise routines. Get yourself a yoga mat for comfort on the floor. Select a yoga program you could follow along at home or take yoga classes at a yoga center. Remember to warm up to get your heart and muscles ready for downward dog and other poses.
15.Dance for 30 minutes a day
Fast-paced dancing for 10 minutes three times a day is a fun way to increase your step count and burn calories. Dancing burns calories fast and is good for lung and heart health, building stamina, and keeping fit. Step into comfortable dancing shoes and get moving to the beat of fast-paced, upbeat music. You’ll start sweating in no time!
Healthy Sleep Habits
16. Set a sleep and wake schedule
Use your phone or another device to set a sleep-wake schedule. That way you’ll consistently go to bed and wake up at a specific time. Try to get at least 6-9 hours of sleep. 6-9 hours of unbroken sleep helps prevent sleep deprivation, according to the Sleep Foundation.
You’ll wake feeling refreshed, energized, focused, and ready to take on the day. Following a bedtime ritual helps regulate your natural body clock.
17. Don’t drink coffee before bed
I get it. You ‘run’ on coffee as so many other Americans do. As much as you feel like you can’t survive without your cup of Joe, you have to have an end time for caffeine consumption.
Health experts recommend you drink your final cup of coffee by 3:00 PM or at least 6 hours before bed. Caffeine is a stimulant and can keep you awake and restless at bedtime.
18. Eat hours before bedtime
Eating just before bed doesn’t give you an opportunity to burn off calories. Other risks include gaining weight or developing chronic digestive conditions such as acid reflux and heartburn.
Practice eating your last meal of the day about three hours before bed. This gives your body time to digest it. Eat a few slices of apple if hunger takes over, but don’t make it a habit.
19. Unwind before bed
Optimize sleep by getting yourself mentally prepared. Relax in your recliner and watch a show that makes you laugh. Read a book or meditate. As sleep nears, dim your lights, put on sleep music, then lie down. Breathe gently and allow your body to relax. Focus on your breath to prevent your mind from wandering to negativity and allow your body to drift off into slumberland.
Prepare mentally like reading a book or meditating so that you can sleep better.
20. Put away electronics ahead of bedtime
You have to set boundaries with your electronic devices if you want to have the best night’s ZZZ. Blue light from these devices the body’s release of melatonin, a hormone that makes you feel drowsy. End screen time with your TV, phone, tablet, or laptop about 2-3 hours before bedtime. Set an alarm to remind you to turn off electronics.
21.Take short naps
Do you have any idea how physically and mentally rejuvenating napping is? Short naps can compensate for sleep interruptions during the night.
Try taking a 20-minute power nap during your lunch break. Make sure you set a wake-up alarm. You’ll wake feeling re-energized, less stressed, and in a better mood. If you’re napping at home, do it before 3:00 PM to avoid trouble sleeping at night.
Healthy Workplace Habits
22.Get to work on time
Punctuality says a lot about a person’s reliability and credibility. Stay on your boss’s good side by arriving on time every day, whether it’s in a traditional or virtual office.
Aim to arrive about 10-15 minutes early.This way, you’ll get to calm your mind after the morning rush. Use the extra time to square away any preliminary tasks like logging into your computer or checking emails.
23.Create a schedule
Plan to stay on top of tasks and perform them efficiently daily. Schedule start dates and due dates to keep track of projects and assignments. Keep track of to-do lists and recurring tasks.
Task management software with recurring task features such as Asana, ActiveCollab, and Taskade can make life so easy. Set up reminder alarms or text notifications for meetings, conferences, and seminars.
24. Organize tasks
Decluttering your physical and digital workspace regularly and using task-management Apps and tools are just a few ways to stay organized. There are even digital to-do lists.
Get organized by downloading FREE downloadable templates to organize tasks and make work smooth and efficient. Visualize tasks and projects, optimize your workflow, and improve project management using ClickUp’s Calender, Kanban Board, or Lists.
25. Break down large projects into smaller tasks
Breaking complex goals or tasks down into manageable bite-size parts and phases helps maintain workflow and improves productivity. Tracking your goals and tasks and meeting deadlines also becomes easier.
Start by identifying the primary task. Break it into smaller tasks. Set the timeframe for completing each. Follow the schedule and time limit for completion. Make use of workflow tools such as Clockify, a FREE time-tracking tool, or the Pomodoro technique to tackle tasks in timed segments.
26. Take short breaks
Taking five-minute mental breaks every 25-30 minutes can increase focus and productivity. Get up and move around the office to increase blood circulation. Stretch your arms, legs, and back to loosen up tense muscles and minimize back pain. Also, practice taking your eyes off the computer screen every 20 minutes to avoid eye fatigue and vision problems.
27. Take lunch breaks
Lunch breaks aren’t a privilege but a legal right of every employee, so don’t feel bad taking it even if you have work piled up on your desk. In fact, taking lunch breaks and leaving work when you should are ways to achieve a work-life balance. Eat your lunch on time to refuel and reenergize your body to handle the rest of the work day. Save about 10-15 minutes to step outdoors to refresh and rejuvenate yourself.
28. Tackle work right away
Employees are more productive between 8:00: AM and 2:00 PM according to studies. Get your work done right away. Capitalize on your brain power, energy, and focus during the first four hours when you’re likely to be most productive.
Starting work immediately helps counteract procrastination and low energy as the day progresses. Take on tasks in order or priority to meet deadlines.
29.Socialize with co-workers
The work environment is stressful by nature. Befriend and strike up conversations with at least one friendly and approachable colleague. Offer to pick up lunch or grab coffee together and attend workplace gatherings. Staying socially connected at work can give you a positive view of the workplace environment and help you get through the day with greater ease.
Healthy Relationship Habits
30.Give your partner their independence
Relationships function better when each partner is able to take charge of their own life. Give your partner autonomy to manage their own affairs instead of offering to help solve every problem they encounter. They’ll make mistakes but learn to take accountability and correct missteps. Give them space to breathe and blossom. In so doing, there will be less chance of creating a codependent relationship.
31.Make time for your partner daily
Spending time with your partner after a long day’s work can be soothing. Make it a habit to set aside time to connect and interact. Ask how their day was or if you can help them solve a problem. You don’t always have to talk much.
After a stressful day at work, spending time with your partner can be comforting.
Just sitting in the same room in silence can be enough. These steps help build intimacy, strengthen your bond, and deepen trust between you two.
32. Communicate daily without electronics
Many couples have confessed that they text, email, or call each other via phone when in the same home. This practice eliminates the intimacy experienced in face-to-face conversations.
Ditch the phones. Get together and talk about your day or discuss plans face to face. Hug and cuddle. These are forms of non-verbal communication and are absolutely better than heart and hug emojis.
33.Pay attention to what your partner is saying
Making your partner feel valued by listening to their concerns and ramblings helps improve the relationship. Actively listen to them. Be empathetic instead of judgmental.
Offer understanding and support. Avoid jumping to conclusions or offering advice. Sometimes, all your partner wants is a listening ear, love, and support.
34. Make your partner feel appreciated
Feeling unappreciated and unloved within the relationship are two common reasons for breakups and divorces. It doesn’t cost anything to let your partner know every day how you feel about them.
Communicate with kindness, send them uplifting messages, tell them you love them or send flowers. Most importantly, tell them face-to-face that they are important to you.
35. Spend quality time with family
Holding down a full-time job and managing other aspects of your life can make it so easy for us to unintentionally neglect our families. Making time for family is important in creating a work-life balance.
Have a meal, watch a show, play board games, or go for a walk together. Do at least one of these things a day to be emotionally present and make your family feel loved and cared for.
Healthy Self-Care Habits
36. Take care of your oral health
Good oral hygiene protects your teeth and gums and lowers the risk of chronic diseases linked to poor oral health. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss daily, and use an antiseptic mouthwash to protect against gingivitis.
Do it like clockwork until it makes you feel uncomfortable to miss this daily oral hygiene routine. Maximize oral health care by seeing your dentist for teeth cleanings at least every 6 months and yearly for oral cancer screenings.
37. Quit alcohol
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans reported that adults can drink in moderation. A new study concluded no amount of alcohol is good for you. Don’t buy or bring alcohol home. Avoid places or situations that can cause alcohol cravings. Decline offers to drink with friends.
Get comfortable with this habit and you’ll protect your brain, heart, and kidneys from conditions related to chronic alcohol consumption. Not to mention, alcohol dependency.
38.Stay away from cigarettes
Nicotine and other chemicals found in cigarettes are as harmful to your health as alcohol. Don’t let it get to an addiction. Break the smoking habit by starting a new habit to overcome it. Toss out all tobacco products to create a cigarette-free environment.
Stay away from activities, people, and places that can trigger the urge to smoke. Substitute cigarettes with sugar-free gum, toothpicks, or carrot sticks.
39. Wash your hands with antibacterial soap
Make it a habit to wash your hands at key times to protect yourself and your family members from catching germ and virus-related illnesses such as cold and flu. Wash your hands thoroughly with liquid antibacterial soap.
Practice the habit each time before eating and after using the toilet, changing nappies, blowing your nose, and playing with pets.
40.Check your weight monthly
Keeping abreast of your weight puts you in control of maintaining your ideal body weight based on the Body Mass Index (BMI) chart. Get yourself a bathroom scale. Check your weight on the last day of each month.
Create a healthy diet plan to increase or decrease your weight based on the result. Routinely checking your weight can help prevent obesity, malnutrition, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke.
41. Get a health checkup regularly
Stop putting off your annual doctor’s appointment or regular checkup visits, regardless of whether you feel fine. Your doctor can uncover and treat health problems that don’t cause any symptoms (or as yet), such as hypertension, cancer, and hepatitis.
Call today to schedule an appointment. Set digital reminders so you won’t miss this upcoming and other doctor visits.
42. Practice good posture
Walk, sit, stand, and jog the right way to minimize stress and pain in the knee joints, ankles, hips, back, neck, and spine. Sit upright with feet pressed flat against the floor when working at a desk.
Regularly standing up and stretching will help to reduce bad posture and spinal misalignment.
Explore ergonomic chairs, low-back support cushions, and footwear that promote good posture. Get up and stretch frequently to minimize spinal misalignment and poor posture.
Healthy Habits for Mental Health
43. Slow down
Train yourself to take on life at a slower pace. Rushing to work and elsewhere fearing you’ll be late causes your stress levels to go up. Anxiety can kick in once the fight-or-flight ‘switch” in the brain gets turned on.
Plan ahead and leave early to avoid rushing and stressing over being late. Delegate household chores to take the load off of you. This will give you more time to focus on important priorities.
44. Check in with yourself throughout the day
Daily challenges and emotional stress can interfere with your sense of well-being. A good time to check in with yourself is whenever you feel your mood shifting from happy to irritable, worried, or angry. Ask “How am I feeling right now?”
Checking in helps you to determine what emotion you’re sensing and work through them. Practice taking short mental breaks, deep breathing, and focusing on the positives to release anger and worry.
45. Write in yourjournal
Journaling is an age-old habit that has been tested and proven to relieve stress and pent-up emotions. Write down your thoughts and feelings in your journal. Write as your thoughts flow.
Don’t stop to think about or judge your feelings. Forget about grammar and spelling. The goal is to spill your heart out until you experience relief.
46. Practice deep breathing
Negative emotions, such as anger and anxiety, can interfere with your breathing. Take slow deep breaths through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Repeat until you feel calm.
Deep breathing slows down your heart rate, relaxes your muscles, and regulates blood pressure. If you keep using breathing techniques each time you feel scared or worried, it will eventually become an automatic response to emotional distress.
47.Practice gratitude
A habit of thankfulness for the good, the bad, and the indifferent can make you forget about worrying over what you don’t have or what could go wrong. An easy way to practice gratitude is to repeat daily gratitude affirmations that make you feel calm and centered. For example, say, “I am grateful to be alive” and “I am grateful for the blessings in my life, both big and small.”
48.Shut down negative self-talk
Encouraging self-talk uplifts while speaking negatively about yourself can lead to self-doubt, loss of confidence, and low self-esteem. Examples of harsh self-judgment language are “I don’t deserve this” and “I’m stupid.”
Practice curbing self-sabotaging statements through the use of positive affirmations. Affirm that you are a good, worthy, loving, kind, and deserving person using “I am” statements. Say “I can do this” and “I am enough.”
49. Set and uphold boundaries
Another way to control stress and protect your mental health is by habitually saying, “No,” when you don’t feel like doing or giving something. Here are other important boundary habits to establish. Stop taking on people’s problems and overextending yourself by leaving work at the end of your shift.
Cut ties with toxic friends. Tell your friends and family members to notify you before showing up at your home. Keep reinforcing the habit until they realize you mean business.
Healthy Electronic and Social Media Habits
50. Log out of social media
Social media can become an addiction if you’re not managing the time spent online. You can be so tuned in that your work, kids, and partner get neglected. Here’s a simple and easy solution to regain control of social platforms.
If you don’t control the amount of time you spend online, social media can turn into an addiction.
Practice spending no more than 1-2 total hours online per day. Log out and tune out while you’re at work, on a date, or spending time with your family. Turn off push notifications that bait you to check who “liked” or commented on your posts.
51.Connect only to positivity feeds on social media
Be careful about the type of information you’re feeding off of on a daily basis via social media. Delete or block feeds from followers and social pages that trigger anger, outrage, sadness, anxiety, or loneliness. Connect to people and pages that keep your spirits lifted through kind words, sound advice, or inspirational quotes.
52. Take a social media break twice a week
A social media detox is a must to avoid suffering distress associated with digesting toxic social media posts. Let Go of the Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) on who’s doing and saying what. Take control by logging out and deactivating your account.
Opt out of push notifications while you’re offline. Use the time for self-care and reconnecting with real people offline. See 7 Steps to Complete a Social Media Detox.
53. Avoid phone use during dates
Nothing turns a man or woman off worse than being on a date with someone who is constantly texting and distracted by their phone. It’s a bad habit that shows a lack of respect, low interest, or boredom. Train yourself to put your phone away.
Show that you’re present by actively engaging in a conversation with your date or partner. Respectfully end the date if you’re not enjoying yourself, instead of using your phone to sabotage it.
Final Thoughts on Healthy Habits for Better Living
New habits aren’t easy to form and that’s precisely why I hope you’ll read How to Build New Habits that Stick before you go. The trick is to act a certain way repeatedly until it becomes a trait or natural behavior.
It also helps to use a habit tracker App to gauge how you’re progressing with the new habits you started working on. There are tons of them out there, you just have to find the one that fits your lifestyle best.
The holiday season can be overwhelming and it can be hard to find a balance between training and enjoying time with your friends and family. Our goal at Wild.AI is to help you understand how your body responds to different training stimuli, and that may be a lack of exercise. In this 3-part article series, we hope to help ease your anxiety around eating, drinking, and exercising during this chaotic race to the end of the year.
First, we should note that you deserve to have a holiday. Enjoy quality time with those in your life, eat that piece of pie, take a break for a little. The holidays should be a time to recover.
In terms of your training, there is good news and bad news when it comes to limiting your exercise program. The bad news is that a decrease in training of any kind will result in some loss of performance. The good news, though,is that in the short-term, this decline is relatively limited. Short term detraining (less than 4 weeks) can result in a decrease in your body’s ability to use oxygen during exercise, measured by your VO2 max (i.e., the maximal amount of oxygen your body can take in), by less than 4% (1).
In terms of strength training, you will likely not see any significant declines in your ability to lift a certain amount of weight after a couple of weeks of not training (2). However, you may notice that there is a decline in the amount of reps you can do, primarily due to a decrease in blood flow, which we will get into in more detail below.
The cause for several of the mechanisms seen in detraining is a decrease in the blood delivered to the tissues (2). The extent to which blood volume (i.e., the amount of blood flowing through your body) decreases largely due to your training status. Highly trained endurance athletes may experience blood volume loss upwards of 12%, relative to their trained levels. However, the less intense and frequent you train, the less relative blood volume you will lose.
Another piece of good news is that you can limit how much your athletic performance is affected by training less frequently, but at a relatively high intensity. One study found that exercising at 80% of heart rate max two times per week can maintain your aerobic capacity for up to 15 weeks (2). In essence, how intense your training session is matters more than how frequently you train.
Lastly, even going on a brief walk can help keep you stay active during the chaos of the holidays. Not only can walks be a great way to take a break and get away to improve your mood, but they can also provide a good way to keep up your fitness. Walking can place less stress on joints than a lot of other weight bearing exercises, it can help with blood flow and cardiovascular function, improve endurance, and limit the development of chronic illnesses (i.e., high blood pressure) (3)! We recommend getting outside (or on a treadmill) to help you prolong losing your progress during this hectic time of year! But don’t worry if you do feel like you’re losing your gains, Wild.AI is always here to help you get back into it (including exercise programs)!
In addition to limiting your time for training, the holiday season also comes with a lot of tasty calorie filled foods. This can be overwhelming when you’re focused on a particular athletic goal, but we’re here to tell you that it’s more than ok to enjoy that delicious food while it’s around!
The holiday season is often partnered with the “off-season” of many athletic disciplines. Feeding yourself extra calories during this downtime can help your body recover from the previous year in a lot of ways. Building muscle costs a lot of calories for the body. Often, it is recommended that those that are looking to gain muscle, take in a surplus of calories (4). When in full training mode, despite your best efforts, it can sometimes be hard to hit your macros all the time. Therefore, by feeding yourself a little extra during the holiday season, you can make up for the calories that you may have lost during heavy training. A little extra fuel in your body can not only help you perform better when it’s time to train, but it can also help boost your immunity, protecting you against winter colds, flus, and germs (5).
We’re often led to believe that our bodies operate on a strict in vs out strategy each day, but the truth is our bodies have no reset that restarts our caloric intake each day. It’s true that if sustained over time, a caloric surplus will likely result in weight gain; however, that large celebratory dinner for Huannaka or Christmas, probably won’t affect you much. In fact, a study from found that, although people think they gain 5-10 lbs (2.27-4.54 kg) during the holiday season, it’s likely closer to 1 lb (0.45 kg) (6).
While we hope this article encourages you to be kind to yourself regarding your training and nutrition during the holiday season, we do want to encourage you to be mindful of what you’re eating. Including lots of proteins, complex carbohydrates (like quinoa), and nutrient heavy sides (like spinach) is an essential part of a balanced meal (5). With that said, have that cup of hot cocoa, eat that piece of pie, and take this time to rest from all that you have accomplished this year. And as always, #getWILD.
Zheng, J., Pan, T., Jiang, Y., & Shen, Y. (2022). Effects of Short- and Long-Term Detraining on Maximal Oxygen Uptake in Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. BioMed Research International, 2022, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/2130993
Mujika, I., & Padilla, S. (2000). Detraining: Loss of Training-Induced Physiological and Performance Adaptations. Part I. Sports Medicine, 30(2), 79–87. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200030020-00002
Steinhilber, B. (2017, September 2). Why walking is the most underrated form of exercise. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/why-walking-most-underrated-form-exercise-ncna797271
Slater, G. J., Dieter, B. P., Marsh, D. J., Helms, E. R., Shaw, G., & Iraki, J. (2019). Is an Energy Surplus Required to Maximize Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy Associated With Resistance Training. Frontiers in Nutrition, 6. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2019.00131
MacMillan, A. (2014, December 11). Is It Okay to Gain Weight During the Holidays? Outside Online. https://www.outsideonline.com/health/nutrition/it-okay-gain-weight-during-holidays/
Helander, E. E., Wansink, B., & Chieh, A. (2016). Weight Gain over the Holidays in Three Countries. New England Journal of Medicine, 375(12), 1200–1202. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMc1602012
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The holiday season can be overwhelming and it can be hard to find a balance between training and enjoying time with your friends and family. Our goal at Wild.AI is to help you understand how your body responds to different training stimuli, and that may be a lack of exercise. In this 3-part article series, we hope to help ease your anxiety around eating, drinking, and exercising during this chaotic race to the end of the year.
First, we should note that you deserve to have a holiday. Enjoy quality time with those in your life, eat that piece of pie, take a break for a little. The holidays should be a time to recover.
In terms of your training, there is good news and bad news when it comes to limiting your exercise program. The bad news is that a decrease in training of any kind will result in some loss of performance. The good news, though,is that in the short-term, this decline is relatively limited. Short term detraining (less than 4 weeks) can result in a decrease in your body’s ability to use oxygen during exercise, measured by your VO2 max (i.e., the maximal amount of oxygen your body can take in), by less than 4% (1).
In terms of strength training, you will likely not see any significant declines in your ability to lift a certain amount of weight after a couple of weeks of not training (2). However, you may notice that there is a decline in the amount of reps you can do, primarily due to a decrease in blood flow, which we will get into in more detail below.
The cause for several of the mechanisms seen in detraining is a decrease in the blood delivered to the tissues (2). The extent to which blood volume (i.e., the amount of blood flowing through your body) decreases largely due to your training status. Highly trained endurance athletes may experience blood volume loss upwards of 12%, relative to their trained levels. However, the less intense and frequent you train, the less relative blood volume you will lose.
Another piece of good news is that you can limit how much your athletic performance is affected by training less frequently, but at a relatively high intensity. One study found that exercising at 80% of heart rate max two times per week can maintain your aerobic capacity for up to 15 weeks (2). In essence, how intense your training session is matters more than how frequently you train.
Lastly, even going on a brief walk can help keep you stay active during the chaos of the holidays. Not only can walks be a great way to take a break and get away to improve your mood, but they can also provide a good way to keep up your fitness. Walking can place less stress on joints than a lot of other weight bearing exercises, it can help with blood flow and cardiovascular function, improve endurance, and limit the development of chronic illnesses (i.e., high blood pressure) (3)! We recommend getting outside (or on a treadmill) to help you prolong losing your progress during this hectic time of year! But don’t worry if you do feel like you’re losing your gains, Wild.AI is always here to help you get back into it (including exercise programs)!
In addition to limiting your time for training, the holiday season also comes with a lot of tasty calorie filled foods. This can be overwhelming when you’re focused on a particular athletic goal, but we’re here to tell you that it’s more than ok to enjoy that delicious food while it’s around!
The holiday season is often partnered with the “off-season” of many athletic disciplines. Feeding yourself extra calories during this downtime can help your body recover from the previous year in a lot of ways. Building muscle costs a lot of calories for the body. Often, it is recommended that those that are looking to gain muscle, take in a surplus of calories (4). When in full training mode, despite your best efforts, it can sometimes be hard to hit your macros all the time. Therefore, by feeding yourself a little extra during the holiday season, you can make up for the calories that you may have lost during heavy training. A little extra fuel in your body can not only help you perform better when it’s time to train, but it can also help boost your immunity, protecting you against winter colds, flus, and germs (5).
We’re often led to believe that our bodies operate on a strict in vs out strategy each day, but the truth is our bodies have no reset that restarts our caloric intake each day. It’s true that if sustained over time, a caloric surplus will likely result in weight gain; however, that large celebratory dinner for Huannaka or Christmas, probably won’t affect you much. In fact, a study from found that, although people think they gain 5-10 lbs (2.27-4.54 kg) during the holiday season, it’s likely closer to 1 lb (0.45 kg) (6).
While we hope this article encourages you to be kind to yourself regarding your training and nutrition during the holiday season, we do want to encourage you to be mindful of what you’re eating. Including lots of proteins, complex carbohydrates (like quinoa), and nutrient heavy sides (like spinach) is an essential part of a balanced meal (5). With that said, have that cup of hot cocoa, eat that piece of pie, and take this time to rest from all that you have accomplished this year. And as always, #getWILD.
Zheng, J., Pan, T., Jiang, Y., & Shen, Y. (2022). Effects of Short- and Long-Term Detraining on Maximal Oxygen Uptake in Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. BioMed Research International, 2022, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/2130993
Mujika, I., & Padilla, S. (2000). Detraining: Loss of Training-Induced Physiological and Performance Adaptations. Part I. Sports Medicine, 30(2), 79–87. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200030020-00002
Steinhilber, B. (2017, September 2). Why walking is the most underrated form of exercise. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/why-walking-most-underrated-form-exercise-ncna797271
Slater, G. J., Dieter, B. P., Marsh, D. J., Helms, E. R., Shaw, G., & Iraki, J. (2019). Is an Energy Surplus Required to Maximize Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy Associated With Resistance Training. Frontiers in Nutrition, 6. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2019.00131
MacMillan, A. (2014, December 11). Is It Okay to Gain Weight During the Holidays? Outside Online. https://www.outsideonline.com/health/nutrition/it-okay-gain-weight-during-holidays/
Helander, E. E., Wansink, B., & Chieh, A. (2016). Weight Gain over the Holidays in Three Countries. New England Journal of Medicine, 375(12), 1200–1202. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMc1602012
The Barbell and T-bar rows are functional back-strengthening movements that can help build a big and monstrous back and strengthen the entire posterior chain.
However, if you had to choose between the two for your training program, you should know the differences to make the right call since both include a similar pulling pattern.
The T-bar row is an isolation exercise, whereas the barbell row is a compound exercise. T-bar rows target the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, posterior deltoids, and rhomboids, while barbell rows target the same back muscles, but passively target the hamstrings and erector spinae.
Let’s understand the basics of both exercises before we jump on their differences.
Table of Contents Hide
The barbell row is one of the best back exercises for building strength and size. It’s a fantastic compound exercise to train almost every posterior chain muscle.
Primary muscles involved in barbell row include:
Secondary muscle groups that stabilize and support the lift include:
Basics of T-Bar Row
The T-bar row is a variation of the conventional barbell bent-over row. In the T-bar row, one end of the barbell is anchored in a corner or landmine attachment. A V-bar handle is attached to the other side, just below the bar’s neck.
Primary muscles involved in the T-bar row include:
Secondary muscles involved in the T-bar row include:
Now that we know the basics of conventional barbell row and T-bar row, let’s discuss their differences.
Barbell Row vs. T-Bar Row
There are some fundamental differences between both exercises; let’s discuss them in detail.
1. Lifting Experience
How long have you been working out at the gym? This is the first question that you need to ask yourself before you choose between barbell and T-bar row.
Barbell row
A barbell row is a classic back exercise that looks basic but requires a lot of practice to execute properly. The barbell row can increase your odds of injury if you don’t follow the correct form.
Furthermore, the exercise demands core strength and muscle coordination, especially while using heavier loads. Maintaining a strong core and a stable lower body is key to performing the barbell row with the correct form. Many beginners find it hard to hold the bent-over position for a barbell row.
T-Bar row
Elite bodybuilders like Ronnie Coleman and Arnold Schwarzenegger employed the T-bar row to take their back gains to the next level. Additionally, while you pull the barbell vertically towards your abdomen in the conventional barbell row, the T-bar has you follow an arch, which results in a greater posterior muscle chain engagement.
2. Muscle Isolation
Muscle isolation is an important aspect to consider when focusing on hypertrophy. Every individual has weak and dominant muscle groups, and you should be able to isolate the target muscles to fix strength and size imbalances.
Barbell row
After the deadlift, the barbell row is arguably the most popular compound back exercise for building strength and size. However, many lifters find it difficult to establish a mind-muscle connection while performing the barbell row. Additionally, people with lower body pain or injuries might find it hard to perform the compound lift.
T-Bar row
Many lifters prefer the T-bar row over the bent-over barbell row as it helps recruit more muscle fibers than the conventional barbell row due to its bigger range of motion.
Plus, some variations of the T-bar row put less stress on the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. Also, they offer better control over the range of motion than the conventional barbell row.
3. Versatility
Versatility here refers to the ability to hit muscles from different angles with a slight alteration in technique.
Barbell row
An experienced lifter can use a barbell row to train every part of their back. Here are some bent-over barbell row variations:
Apart from different rowing variations, you can always experiment with a wide and narrow grip to check what works best for you.
T-Bar row
You could use a range of handles and T-bar machines to add variety to your back training. Additionally, you might have to cycle through different T-bar variations to figure out which works best for you.
Some popular variations include the conventional T-bar row using an anchored barbell and a double D-handle attachment, the old-school T-bar machine with an elevated platform, and a chest-supported T-bar machine.
4. Injury Prevention
Injury prevention is an important factor that should be kept in mind. Who should be paying more emphasis to injury prevention? Here is the list:
Barbell row
Heavy barbell rows are not for the faint-hearted as there is always a chance of getting injured. Some pro bodybuilders avoid heavy barbell rows in their cutting phase because they are in an extended caloric deficit, and it increases the chances of injury close to the competition.
Additionally, Babell rows require high hip and hamstring mobility.
T-Bar row
Folks who struggle with hip mobility or experience lower back pain should favor the chest-supported T-bar row over the conventional barbell rows.
While doing conventional barbell rows, a lifter is required to keep their torso parallel to the floor, which puts a lot of stress on the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings.
What makes T-bar a safer option?
The answer lies in the mechanism of both exercises. Although the barbell and T-bar row are excellent back-building exercises, they differ in their load transfer mechanism.
While doing T-bar rows, one end of the barbell is anchored to the ground. The T-bar row is safer because lifters do not need to maintain an aggressive hip hinge during the exercise.
The angle of the torso to the ground is about 30 degrees, relieving additional pressure from the glutes and lower back.
5. Muscle engagement
It refers to the muscle groups working together in an exercise. Both exercises activate the whole posterior chain, including the lats, erector spinae, trapezius, rear delts, core, and biceps.
However, the degree to which the muscles are engaged is different, as the T-bar row can provide deeper lat and upper back stretch at the bottom of the movement due to its neutral grip position while using a double D-handle attachment.
6. Required equipment
How much do you need to invest for a barbell or T-bar row at home? This is a legitimate question for someone looking to set up a garage gym.
Requirements are pretty much the same; you will need a barbell and weight plates for both exercises. However, you’ll need to invest in a V-bar handle and a landmine attachment (optional) for the T-bar row.
7. Range of motion
Machines are usually great for isolation work.
Lifters usually compromise on ROM while training with free weights due to the fear of failing at either end of the range of motion. For example, many lifters perform shallow squats because they are afraid to fail at the bottom of the movement. Many lifters do half-range bench presses for the same reason.
On the other hand, T-bar rows allow a greater range of motion because it reduces stress on stabilizer muscles.
However, that doesn’t mean you should stop doing barbell rows. Instead, emphasize implementing proper form and technique. If you are struggling with your range of motion while doing the barbell row, you should go light and perform a higher number of reps.
Wrapping Up
Choosing between both exercises can be challenging. However, you shouldn’t choose one over the other, especially if you are not dealing with injuries. Both lifts should be a part of your exercise arsenal.
The T-bar row will help you create a strong foundation, but there is no alternative to free-weight barbell rows. The barbell row will not only help develop a monstrous back, but it will also improve your deadlift, squat, and bench press.
Training season is soon upon us. In many parts of the country, it’s already here. At the start of any training season, it’s wise to ensure your base-level fitness is adequate for the months ahead of strength, power, and endurance training. One excellent shoulder exercise for building strength, stability, and proper movement patterns is the scapular pull-up. Surprisingly, it’s often overlooked by climbers. Strengthening the muscles around the scapula, or shoulder blade, is key for climbing performance and avoiding injury.
To learn how to perform the scapular pull-up, watch this short video by Eric Hörst, renowned climbing coach and author. He breaks downs the exercise’s benefits and shows both beginner and advanced variations.
In Hörst’s invaluable book Training for Climbing, he explains that regular use of the scapular pull-up will help you develop “better kinesthetic awareness of your scapula position and enable you to climb harder and longer with good form, despite growing fatigue.” The exercise also helps keep your scapula in the correct position during dynamic movement, which we all know can be taxing on the shoulders.
As you’ll see in the video, to perform a scapular pull-up, you begin by hanging from a bar in a normal pull-up position (palms facing away with arms shoulder-width apart). Starting from a relaxed hang, draw your shoulder blades together like you’re doing a reverse shrug. The best way to think about this motion is to try and bend the bar (or hangboard, if that’s what you’re using). Your blades will come together as your head tilts back and your chest raises slightly. Be sure to keep your arms straight. Your body’s upward motion is coming from your scapular movement, not your arms. Hold the top of the flexed position for one second and then come back down. Perform six to 12 reps. Hörst warns about the potential to overdo scapular pull-ups: only add a second or third set to your workout after you’ve mastered the exercise.
The post Are you missing out on this key shoulder exercise? appeared first on Gripped Magazine.
