Losing weight without losing muscle can be tough to do as you age.
There’s a type of exercise that will help solve this problem.
You do NOT have to lose valuable muscle in order to lose unhealthy excess fat.
The type of training is called HIIT, and senior-age people can most certainly do this type of exercise; it’s not just for younger people.
HIIT stands for high intensity interval training.
HIIT involves alternating short periods of high effort exercise with easier recovery periods.
Research published in Maturitas found that this approach can have an advantage over moderate and low intensity workouts.
HIIT vs. Moderate Effort Exercise in Older Adults
Researchers at the University of the Sunshine Coast studied 123 healthy adults from the Brisbane area. Their average age was 72 with an average BMI of 26.
Participants completed three supervised, 45-minute gym sessions weekly for six months.
They were assigned to HIIT, moderate exercise or low intensity activity.
Researchers measured body composition at the beginning, after three months and at the end using scans that estimate fat and lean tissue.
Both HIIT and mid-level effort exercise reduced fat mass more than did low intensity activity.
However, moderate exercise also produced a small decline in lean mass.
The HIIT group lost fat without the same reduction.
Lead researcher Dr. Grace Rose says all three exercise levels produced modest fat loss, but HIIT alone preserved lean muscle.
However, the scans measured lean tissue rather than muscle strength directly. Lean mass also includes water and other tissues.
Too Much Fat in Your Middle
The high and moderate intensity groups also improved measures of visceral fat.
This type of fat accumulates deep inside the abdomen, surrounding organs such as the liver and intestines.
Excess visceral fat has been associated with insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease and other metabolic problems.
How HIIT May Preserve Muscle With Age
HIIT repeatedly pushes people to exercise hard enough that breathing becomes heavy and conversation difficult, followed by easier recovery periods.
This greater physical demand encourages the body to retain muscle. Where there’s demand, there will be a supply: muscle.
Severe muscle loss can contribute to sarcopenia (age related muscle atrophy), which interferes with mobility and independence.
A small study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise examined remotely supervised home HIIT in 20 participants 61 to 74.
They used a specialized machine that allowed arm and leg exercise without supporting their body weight.
After eight weeks, they lost an average of about three pounds of fat and substantially improved their aerobic fitness.
They completed 96% of scheduled workouts, and researchers reported no exercise related adverse events.
The beauty of HIIT is that there’s an unlimited way to do it. Plus, it yields more bang for your buck.
