‍You can't see it, but you can feel it

Many people focus their training on visible muscle development, such as a tight stomach or toned arms. But physical strength goes beyond what you see. The muscles you don't see also play a crucial role in your physical capacity and overall health. Together with fat and bone mass, they determine your body composition—an important factor in preventing diseases and living a longer, healthy life.

Physical body composition and capacity

Our muscles are important for our physical strength. Physical capacity refers to the body's ability to perform functional but also everyday activities, an ability that is highly dependent on the condition of the cardiorespiratory system, muscle strength, and endurance.

And just as important: it shows us where, for example, fat is in our body. The safe place is under our skin and the most dangerous place is around our organs, where it can cause damage. This type of fat is also known as visceral fat. Together, these two components provide a comprehensive view of a person's physical health and capabilities.

Importance of physical composition and capacity

The combination of strong physical capacity and a healthy body composition is crucial for maintaining independence and quality of life, especially as you age.

• Maintaining an optimal body composition helps prevent various health problems such as osteoporosis, obesity, metabolic diseases and heart disease.
• Optimal physical capacity enables individuals to stay active and perform daily tasks efficiently; very important for healthy aging.
• The relationship between muscle mass, bone density and visceral fat plays a significant role in determining the risk of chronic diseases and physical disabilities.

Muscle mass

Maintaining muscle mass is not only important for mobility and strength, but also for the regulation of metabolic functions in the body. A decline in muscle mass, often seen with age, can lead to sarcopenia, which affects functional capacity and independence.

Bone density

Bone density naturally decreases with age, which increases the risk of fractures. High bone density is essential to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and maintain a sturdy skeleton, which is crucial for both daily activities and preventing serious injuries.

Visceral fat

This type of fat is found in the abdominal cavity around the internal organs and is associated with an increased risk of various health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even certain cancers. Reducing visceral fat through diet and exercise is therefore very important for general health.

Impact of aging on physical capacity

As we age, natural changes occur in our physical capacity and body composition. These changes can have significant consequences for our daily activities and overall health.

Decrease in muscle mass and bone density

Muscle mass and bone density usually decline with age, a process that can lead to increased frailty and a greater risk of fractures and even death. This phenomenon is known as sarcopenia for muscles and osteoporosis for bones. The loss of muscle strength and bone density not only reduces the ability to perform physical tasks, but can also limit the mobility and independence of older people.

Powerpenia

Maintaining muscle strength has an important influence on healthy aging. Scientists refer to this as powerpenia. Powerpenia is about more than just losing strength. So it's not just about the maximum strength that a muscle can generate, but mainly about how quickly that force can be generated, which is crucial for many daily activities and preventing falls in the elderly.

Increase in visceral fat

At the same time, the amount of visceral fat often increases with age, increasing the risk of health problems such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease and certain cancers. This type of fat is particularly harmful because it actively contributes to inflammation in the body and metabolic dysfunction.

Strategies and Interventions

Bone density

• Prevention and Treatment: Calcium and other supplements can help maintain strong bones.
• Weight-bearing exercises: Walking, jogging, jumping, and strength training are effective in strengthening bones and promoting healthy bone density.

Visceral fat

• Visceral fat control: A healthy diet rich in fiber, adequate protein, and healthy fats, combined with regular cardiovascular and strength training, can help reduce visceral fat.
• Avoiding excessive intake of sugars and saturated fats is crucial.

Muscle mass

• Maintaining muscle mass: Regular resistance training and a protein-rich diet are essential for maintaining and building muscle mass.
• Strength training, resistance training and bodyweight exercises are effective in stimulating muscle growth and improving muscle strength.

Benefits of sports and physical activity

Sports and regular physical activity are crucial for maintaining both body composition and physical capacity.

• Improving bone density: Weight-bearing exercises stimulate bone formation and help reduce bone loss.
• Visceral fat reduction: Aerobic exercises such as swimming, cycling, and running help burn visceral fat.
• Maintaining and growing muscle mass: Strength training and resistance exercises help maintain muscle mass and strength.
• Improved mobility and flexibility: Activities such as yoga and tai chi improve balance and help reduce the risk of falls.

How does LNGVTY affect physical body composition and capacity?

You have the most influence yourself. Based on your own commitment and ownership, you are passionate about responsible nutrition and physical training.

Of course, LNGVTY supports you in this by providing a scientifically based approach that combines research, training and lifestyle interventions. After a baseline measurement, we develop a customized training program focused on strength building, muscle mass, cardiovascular fitness and metabolic health. With lifestyle interventions and supplements where necessary, we further optimize your health and physical capacity so that you can move forward in top shape. Here you find more information about your personalised health plan options.

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