40+FAB Blog

Use it or lose it

One of the statistics that got me thinking really hard after I turned 40 was the one that says you lose over 5% of muscle mass every decade. The more inactive a person is the more muscle mass is lost leading to loss of strength and susceptibility to bone fractures.
The losses can actually be stymied if there is constant exercise and use of the muscles. Instead of losses, small muscle gains are possible as long as they are being used consistently.

Not using what we have can lead to us losing it, but what is even more alarming is the nature in which those things unnoticeably slip out of our grasp and we wake up one morning to find that they are gone. Think about your skills, relationships, habits and yes muscles too. You never realise you are becoming rusty because you still take for granted that you have them.  

I used to be quite good at playing the guitar and writing songs in my university days and got to the level of playing in a band and performing my songs at a State concert. After leaving university, I let my guitar sit in a lonely place for years and even though I pick it up and play from time to time, I am no where near the proficiency I used to have back then. I am unlikely to make any bands at the moment unless of course I focus many hours on trying to recapture a glimpse of my past.

Whatever is important to you needs to be prioritised for consistent use, don’t let the vicissitudes of life lull you into a place of neglect and false security on what you have. Set yourself up to use it so you don’t lose it.