Ep. 37 – Skipping This Is The #1 THREAT To Your Longevity

Welcome to the 37th episode of Vegetarian Health and Longevity from Hurry The Food Up and Sports Nutritionist James LeBaigue.

From superfoods to biohacking, the longevity industry is thriving, promising us ways to cheat the clock. 

But here’s the reality—most of these so-called “hacks” lack substantial scientific backing.

That’s not to say there aren’t proven ways to increase both the length and quality of your life. In fact, there’s one method that consistently stands out in research, offering undeniable benefits for longevity. Surprisingly, it’s not particularly flashy, expensive, or time-consuming.

In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about the most influential contributor to a long and healthy life. It’s something simple, science-based, and incredibly accessible: resistance training. 

We’ll explore why it’s so effective, how it benefits your body and mind, and what it means for your overall health as you age.

 And we’ll also address how you can maximise a vegetarian diet to help with this too.

By the end of this episode, you’ll not only understand why resistance training is crucial for longevity, but also feel equipped to start—or refine—your own practice.

You can find it on YouTube below or you can listen to it here on your favourite provider.

If you missed last week’s episode about whether you can build muscle and lose weight at the same time then you can listen to or read it here.

1. Resistance Training and Muscle Health

Let’s start with talking about what resistance training actually is, because you might be thinking James, what on earth is this?

In essence, it’s any form of exercise where you’ve working against resistance, as the name implies. The most common example would be weight training, and if you’re able to do it, this is what I would suggest. It’s going to have the biggest impact when done safely and regularly, and is what I advised to my 1:1 clients.

But this does also include using resistance bands, some body weight movements and aspects of strength yoga poses.

Circuit training, running, dancing and swimming generally wouldn’t count as resistance training, and I won’t include them for the purposes of this episode; they would be cardiovascular exercise.

The most obvious benefit of resistance training: its impact on your muscles. 

As we age, our bodies naturally lose muscle mass in a process called sarcopenia. This begins as early as our 30s and accelerates in later years.

But here’s the good news—resistance training is an incredibly effective way to counteract this decline.

• Preventing Sarcopenia:
  Sarcopenia isn’t just about losing muscle for vanity’s sake. It’s a critical issue for maintaining independence and quality of life as you age. Without sufficient muscle strength, even simple tasks like climbing stairs or carrying groceries can become challenging.
  
  Research, including a meta-analysis by Chen et al. (2021), shows that resistance training is one of the safest and most effective ways to preserve muscle mass, strength, and overall function. This means resistance training isn’t just an exercise; it’s an investment in your ability to live independently for longer.
  
• Boosting Metabolism:
  Muscle isn’t just for movement—it’s metabolically active tissue. This means it burns more calories at rest compared to fat. A higher metabolic rate helps counteract the natural slowing of metabolism that comes with age, which is often linked to weight gain and related health issues like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
  
  Resistance training helps you retain a higher metabolism, making weight management easier and reducing the risk of chronic diseases associated with being ocerweight. Plus, the more muscle you have, the more energy you expend even when you’re not exercising—a win-win.
  
• The reality is that this different isn’t huge, and we’re probably talking in the realms of about 100 calories a day, and I don’t want to kid you otherwise, but it’s still an important factor that is often overlooked.
  
• Progressive Overload:
  For resistance training to work, it’s important to challenge your muscles over time. This principle, called progressive overload, means gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts—whether by adding more weight, increasing the number of reps, or performing more challenging exercises. Consistency is key here.
  
  While it’s tempting to push hard every session, or think you can ramp up the intensity quickly, longevity is a marathon, not a sprint. Avoiding injuries and building steadily over time is essential.
  
• I always say to build into it. Take it slowly, step by step. It’s way better to consistently hit 80% of your workouts than 100% for a couple of weeks until you burnout or get injured.
  
• For Vegetarians:
  Vegetarians may face a unique challenge in maintaining muscle mass due to the lower bioavailability of plant-based proteins. Put simply, this means your body doesn’t absorb as much protein compared to eating protein from an animal source.
  
• But this doesn’t mean it’s impossible. By incorporating protein-rich foods like legumes, tofu, tempeh, and dairy into your diet, you can support muscle growth effectively. Aim for a good source of protein with every meal to maximise the benefits of resistance training. And if you’re serious about optimising your diet, consider tracking your protein intake to ensure you’re hitting your targets.

And by the way, if you’re trying to lose weight and aren’t seeing results, check out a free meal plan as part of The Vegetarian Protein Fix. It includes a shopping list, super tasty recipes including ingredients and instructions, and has all the meals planned out for you. So head to https://hurrythefoodup.com/try to get it and start losing weight with the veggie diet.

2. Strengthening Bones and Preventing Falls 

While muscles often get the spotlight, the benefits of resistance training for your bones are equally significant. Bone health tends to decline with age, increasing the risk of fractures and osteoporosis. 

Osteoporosis is a condition where the density of your bones is low, meaning they are at a higher risk of breaking. This is especially true for females who have been through menopause, because bone density can drop significantly afterwards.

Resistance training can change that.

• How Resistance Training Strengthens Bones:
  When you engage in resistance exercises, the tension and load applied to your bones stimulate a process called bone remodelling. Essentially, your bones adapt by clearing out old tissue and creating new, denser bone.
  
  Exercises like squats, deadlifts, and presses are particularly effective because they target weight-bearing bones like those in your hips and spine. This is critical for reducing the risk of fractures later in life because your body adapter to the stress and stimulus you put it under. It says “next time I do that, I’m gonna be more capable of dealing with it” so it improves itself.
  
• Improving Balance and Coordination:
  Beyond strengthening bones, resistance training plays a major role in improving balance and stability. Many exercises, especially those that involve free weights or functional movements, challenge your core and proprioception, which is your body’s ability to sense its position in space.
  
  This reduces the likelihood of falls, which can have devastating consequences for older adults. Movements like Bulgarian split squats or single-leg deadlifts are excellent for building not only strength but also stability and control, and I would highly recommend them.
  
• Dietary Considerations:
  Bone health isn’t only influenced by exercise—it’s also heavily impacted by diet. For vegetarians, ensuring adequate calcium and vitamin D intake is crucial. Good sources include calcium set tofu, fortified plant milks, leafy greens, and supplements when necessary. In the UK, it’s recommended to take a vitamin D supplement during the darker months, but there’s no harm in doing so year-round. Combining these dietary strategies with resistance training creates a powerful synergy for bone health.

3. Mental and Cognitive Benefits 

Physical health often takes centre stage in discussions about exercise, but the mental and cognitive benefits of resistance training are just as compelling.

• Mood Enhancement and Stress Reduction:
  Exercise, including resistance training, triggers the release of endorphins—your body’s natural “feel-good” chemicals. This can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. A systematic review by Singh et al. (2023) found that resistance training is particularly effective at alleviating psychological distress. 
  
• Personally, and what I’ve seen with my 1:1 clients, is that there’s a sense of empowerment that comes from getting stronger and more capable too. Gradually progressing in the gym or whatever other form of resistance training you’re doing is super rewarding, just like improving your 5k run time.
  
• Reducing chronic stress and anxiety over time improves health, because those things are linked to chronic disease, so it makes sense that reducing it helps with longevity.
  
• Cognitive Protection:
  As we age, cognitive decline is a natural concern. The good news? Resistance training appears to have protective effects on brain health. Research, such as the study by Gomes-Osman et al. (2018), has shown that resistance training helps maintain or even improve cognitive function. This could be due to increased blood flow to the brain, improved metabolic health, or simply the mental challenge of learning and mastering new movements.
  
• Whatever the case, resistance training is something for any age and not just the young and fit.

4. Heart Health and Longevity

The benefits of resistance training extend to one of the most critical systems in your body—your cardiovascular system.

• Improving Cholesterol and Blood Sugar Levels:
  Resistance training has been shown to improve cholesterol profiles by increasing HDL (the “good” cholesterol) and reducing LDL (the “bad” cholesterol). It also improves insulin sensitivity, helping to regulate blood sugar levels and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes—a condition that significantly raises the risk of cardiovascular disease.
  
• Synergy with Cardio:
  While resistance training is excellent for heart health, it doesn’t replace traditional cardiovascular exercise. Instead, the two complement each other beautifully. Think of it as a one-two punch for longevity: resistance training builds strength and metabolic health, while cardio supports endurance and aerobic capacity. Together, they form a fantastic approach to heart health.

Conclusion: The Longevity Blueprint 

Resistance training isn’t just about building muscle—it’s a cornerstone of healthy ageing. From preserving muscle and bone to boosting mental health and protecting your heart, it addresses nearly every aspect of longevity.

But here’s the catch: to reap these benefits, you need to commit. Start small, with bodyweight exercises or light weights, and focus on consistency. Over time, as you build strength and confidence, you can progress to more challenging routines.

And remember—longevity isn’t just about adding years to your life. It’s about ensuring those years are active and fulfilling.

And finally, here is the easiest way to sign up to try our meal plans (free).

And a list of our vegetarian meal plans (also all free).

And finally finally: More vegetarian podcasts this way!

Studies used in this podcast:

Effectiveness of physical activity interventions for improving depression, anxiety and distress
Exercise for cognitive brain health in aging