“Protein is the building blocks of cells
in our body, so including it at every meal
is important,” says Archer. “Including
carbohydrates in your meals directly
following exercise will ensure that you
replenish your glycogen stores, which will
give you energy for your next workout and
ward against muscle loss.”
Regular weight-bearing activity along with
effective nutrition protocols will also aid in
creating the hormonal conditions native to
lean muscle growth.
“Strength and endurance training
protocols along with the right types of food,
adequate hydration and enough sleep will
increase your levels of testosterone – yes, even
for women,” says Sharpe.
“Testosterone is used by professional
bodybuilders for a reason: it promotes tissue
growth. When bodybuilders supplement
with it, the body stops producing it and
actually promotes abnormal growth in the
wrong place. But if supported naturally, it’s
the number-one muscle-building hormone in
my opinion.”
Sharpe suggests sticking to lean protein
sources, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds
and good fats such as coconut to ensure
hormone profiles are tipped for muscle
development rather than muscle wastage.
Age is also a contributor to sarcopenia but
the effects can be nullified. Strength, muscle
mass, power and functional ability are all
affected from the age of 40.
“The stats show that from the ages of
approximately 30 to 60, we lose about six
kilograms of muscle mass and gain 13
kilograms of fat,” says Archer.
“However, with a combination of strength
training and optimal nutrition, we can
dramatically reduce the effects.”
FAT FURNACE
Every body is different and your starting
body composition will directly affect how
much and how quickly you can lose body fat.
This includes fat built up around your organs
and intra-muscular fat, not just your visceral
or visible fat beneath the skin.
“The amount of fat a person can lose
depends on how much fat one has to lose
initially. The leaner you get, the less fat you
have to lose,” says Archer.
“Most people don’t put on weight
overnight. It is a gradual increase. Therefore,
in losing it, we should look at it the same way.
There has been a lot of research proving that
the faster we lose weight, the quicker we are
to put it back on.”
Archer suggests anywhere from one to
five kilograms of fat loss over 12 weeks is
generally a safe and sustainable amount for
a female, while Sharpe suggests two per cent
per week is attainable. Whatever the number,
both Archer and Sharpe agree that muscle
mass is one of the most important influencers
on the rate of burn.
“The more muscle you gain, the faster
you burn body fat, as muscle mass is the
only place that burns fats, carbohydrates and
proteins for fuel,” explains Archer.
“The faster our metabolism, and the more
muscle mass we have, the leaner we will be.”
While both agree that weight-bearing
activity and muscle gain should be
prioritised, cardiovascular training is also
vital to fat oxidation, with most of the fat
mass exhaled as carbon dioxide in our breath.
Which form of cardio you opt for and the
pace of your results will depend on your
body type, level of fitness and lifestyle. The
post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC),or afterburn, makes high-intensity interval
training (HIIT, bursts of high intensity work
followed by short rest periods, for about
20 minutes) an efficient fat-burning tool
for many. A study published in the Applied
Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism
journal found that just 10 minutes of HIIT
training equated to the same number of
calories burnt in a 50-minute session as LISS.
However, if you have a high-stress job or
are over-training, low-intensity steady-state
cardio (LISS, such as an hour-long walk,
three times a week) may still be your best bet
for maximum results.
“Hormones such as cortisol are released in
reaction to stress, which may lead to fat gain
and storage,” says Sharpe.
If HIIT is your preferred option, Sharpe
suggests a work-to-rest period of 2:1 or 3:1.
Think 30 seconds of all-out sprints followed
by 10 seconds’ rest, either worked into your
weight training programming or added in as
its own cardio session.
Sharpe warns again creating a calorie
deficit for fat burn, whether that be through
eating less or exercising more. Quality ofMEAN LEAN
ARCHER AND SHARPE’S TOP LIFESTYLE TIPS TO HELP
SWAP YOUR FAT FOR MUSCLE:- GET ENOUGH SHUT-EYE: aim for
7.5 to nine hours of sleep per night for
optimal recovery and hormonal balance. - OFFICE KNOW-HOW: manage your
stress levels, increase your calorie
burn and reduce your chances of
muscle wastage by going for regular
walks throughout the day, or asking
the boss for a stand-up desk. “If a
person is sitting at a desk all day, their
energy requirements are much less
than someone who has a physically
demanding job,” says Archer. “We
generally switch off our muscles, sit
back, slump or have no need to use
our muscles. And which group of
muscles do we switch off most? The
glutes – which are the largest muscles
in the body.” - EAT WELL, EAT OFTEN: eating
smaller meals more often will aid
in boosting the metabolism, while
plant foods are important to insulin
sensitivity. “The more your plate looks
like a rainbow of colorful fruit and
vegetables at every meal, the faster
your results will come,” says Archer.- HYDRATE: drinking cold water
regularly throughout the day can boost
your metabolic rate by up to 30 per
cent according to Archer. “Our body is
made up of 70 to 80 per cent water –
so it’s no wonder we need it so often to
function properly,” he says. - PRIORITISE STRENGTH-BASED
TRAINING: your lean muscle mass has
the greatest impact on your ability to
burn fat, so be sure to incorporate three
to four full-body weight sessions per
week. A weighted circuit with lower
loads, higher reps and limited rest will
keep the heart rate elevated to increase
muscular endurance while burning
body fat.