Why it's important to 'gain' weight

YES, you read the title correctly. It said 'gain weight'. But do not reach for the chocolate digestives just yet.

Let me make it perfectly clear that what I mean by weight gain is not getting fat. I mean increasing muscle mass or toning up.

Without muscle, you would not be able to move - at all. You would not be able to even blink your eyes, you would not be able to swallow, you would not be able to smile, you would not be able to pump blood and oxygen around your body, you would not be able to wiggle your little toe, you would not be able digest your food and you would not even be able to breathe.

Muscle is a special contractible living tissue that comes in three varieties in the human body. The first is the image our mind quickly clings to when we hear the word 'muscle'.

We often think of a fit young adult who is lean and very strong, with a rock hard stomach and broad shoulders. This is called skeletal muscle and is responsible for all your voluntary movement you do in the day.

The second type of muscle, called smooth muscle, lives in the walls of your blood vessels and digestive tract. You can't see it like you can see skeletal muscle. Smooth muscle is responsible for involuntary movements that keep us functioning efficiently 24 hours a day.

The third type of muscle is cardiac muscle. Guess where this is found? Yes, your heart! It is obviously responsible for the contraction of the four chambers of your ticker, to keep blood flowing and oxygen travelling around your body.

With all this going on, it is no wonder that we need so much energy in the form of food, per day, just to maintain our muscle tissue and keep us functioning. But, WHY is it important to maintain your skeletal muscles, or even gain more muscle mass?

Muscle can also be stimulated to grow, change shape and even change its cell structure. This is all accomplished via clever and consistent training, depending on how you want your muscles to grow, change and what you want them to do.

If you want to be a body builder, you have to train like one, appropriately. If you just want to tone up or make a part of your body firmer, you have to train those areas, appropriately. It is important to maintain or gain muscle mass for a number of reasons.

First and foremost, one wants to move as efficiently and without pain or injury as one can. Right?

Right!

And with weak muscles, this is going to be a problem. Unfortunately, muscle tends to atrophy (shrink) quite quickly as we age. We need to keep exercising to maintain our shape and strength.

Further, think of how an athlete, gymnast, or dancer might move, even when they are not performing. Looks easy, doesn't it? And it probably looks like they could just keep going and going - probably because they CAN! This fabulous way of life can be you, too. Additionally, a strong back can mean a pain-free back, a strong set of legs can help you do all sorts of things from hiking on holiday, avoiding tripping over in the street; or lugging your groceries upstairs with ease.

Strength often means injury and disease prevention, like osteoarthritis. Strong muscles take the strain off inelastic ligaments and often work in conjunction with strong tendons, making the whole system work more effectively and improving posture.

Muscle mass also helps burn calories, even when at rest. This is the case especially after exercise, when the muscle cells are repairing and growing. Getting bigger and firmer to be leaner and smaller sounds like an oxymoron but try it and see!

You will want to email me with all your 'before' and 'after' photos.

Muscle mass also maintains fuel storage and oxygen uptake. Muscle fibres hold onto glycogen which is carbohydrates that have been broken down and stored for movement. The way it stores oxygen is a little more complicated but basically, arteries will grow and divide and keep on growing to supply working stimulated or growing tissue with oxygen. Blood in a muscle is rich red and oxygen-laden.

Finally, lean muscular physic sure does look good. And hey, who doesn't want to look lean and sexy?

Muscles in a female can mean the difference, too, between cellulite and smooth skin because vertical protein fibres under the skin are shortened and the appearance of a "lumpy quilt" cannot help but be reduced. Let's not forget too, that by lifting weight or doing regular resistance training, you are burning loads of fat in the medium and long term ... loads!

So how do I build muscle, I hear you ask? The obvious answer is to exercise. You will need to see a caring and qualified fitness instructor for a programme to suit you but here is a tip - you must include weekly combinations of weight-bearing activities (walking, running, climbing) and resistance training (using dumbbells, barbells, cable machines, circuit training equipment and dynobands).

Be warned though, that overtraining will eat up stored protein and will make muscles stubborn and cause overuse injuries. Aim for two or three sessions of resistance training and three sessions of cardio training a week. Don't forget to warm up thoroughly. The less obvious answers include training and diet manipulation techniques.

For example, every now and then, it is wise to shock your muscle fibres into growth by performing an activity that you have never performed before. Try horse-riding for your lower body, sprint-swimming for your arms, yoga for your back, and pilates for your stomach. Ouch!

Where your diet is concerned, you must include plenty of protein in all three to five meals a day.

You should consume lots of lean meat, tuna, nuts, beans, spinach, and low-fat dairy products. Too much sugar and you will feel tired. We know that sugar rots your teeth but it is also bad for your bones. Drink plenty of water while consuming more protein.

Loads of meat, for example, can cause stress on your digestive system and constipation. Keep 'an eye' on how you are feeling in the tummy.

Not getting enough sleep is going to ruin all that hard work. Aim for eight to nine hours every night. Your muscles only grow when you are off in dreamland.

Finally, in order for muscles to grow, you need to be consistent and patient. Some people have fast twitch muscle fibres and some people have slow twitch muscle fibres. If you are a slow twitch person, you will find resistance training more difficult and will not be able to get lean and strong as quickly.

Good luck everyone!