⭑ Was I wrong? ✔ Protein alone won't reduce muscle loss, emerging research
⭑ Our body compensates for injuries ✔ This has consequences
⭑ How a post-dinner stroll and dark chocolate pays off ✔ Saving memory
⭑ Get those large muscles kicked into gear ✔ Wall-sits

All strength to Ukraine 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦

Hello,

I trust you are well and active.

I am on a "savings" theme this week - saving you money, and saving you from injuring yourself, saving your brain and belly.

Firstly, saving you money. Protein supplementation only works if you exercise. I tripped upon some definitive research - see item #1.

You will avoid injury, or avoid its recurrence, by following some very simple advice. So simple that I failed to take it seriously enough myself - see item #2.

Saving your brain and belly has never been easier, try this one - see item #3.

Activate your large muscles at home with this unpopular exercise—see item #4.
​
Your podcast of this newsletter is here (20 min).

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01 The Myth Debunked: Protein Alone Won’t Build Muscle

I'll start with a mea culpa. While I have often recommended extra protein for we over 50s, and often in association with exercise, I now realise I had not sufficiently emphasised the latter - the exercise.

This is important because without sufficiently intense exercise the protein supplement is ineffective.

As I dug into emerging research on this topic I had a flashback to my pre-Covid 25 years of going to the gym, and how only a few people were doing more thn moderately intense exercise, yet they were all very keen to grab their $6 protein drinks afterwards.

So I dug deeper. Bingo. Here is consistently what new research reveals:

• For younger adults (say, under 50), protein drinks taken without concurrent strength exercise are unlikely to yield significant muscle growth benefits—they provide little extra advantage because their muscles are already responsive.
• To fully harness the anabolic potential of dietary protein in older adults, exercise must provide a strong enough stimulus (typically defined as resistance training performed at moderate to high intensities).

Yet, a common myth persists that simply taking protein supplements can ward off muscle loss.

⇒ The reality, as emerging research reveals, is quite different: without moderate‐to‐high intensity resistance exercise, protein supplementation is little more than wasted money.

Without the stimulus of moderate to high intensity resistance exercise, protein supplements contribute minimally to muscle growth in the over 50s, and less to nothing to those under 50 no matter what the exercise.

Why do elite athletes use supplements? Well, firstly, consider this: if a high-performance athlete already meets their protein needs through diet (or already consumes around 1.6 g/kg/day), additional supplementation might not offer extra benefits. In such cases, their body’s anabolic response is already near optimal, and more protein simply won’t translate to further muscle gains.

However, if they pushing themselves to the limit, protein supplements are designed for rapid digestion and absorption. This quickly replenishes amino acids and jumpstarts recovery and muscle repair and growth. Noone at gym is working near this level, except for the TikTok brenchpressers and they are beyond help.

What this means for you: Here's the key. Resistance exercise has a long metabolic carryover effect.

You stimulate muscle protein synthesis for up to 24–48 hours after each session. This “carry-over effect” means that even on non-training days, your muscles are still in a more anabolic, repair-focused state compared to days with no exercise at all.

Here's the plan:

• Combining a physically active lifestyle with regular resistance exercise is key; without such exercise, protein supplementation alone offers minimal gains.
• Distribute protein evenly across meals (typically 25–30 grams per meal) for a daily total of between 1.6 g and 2.0 g of protein per kg of bodyweight.

⇒ If you enjoy protein supplements keep drinking them, if you are only drinking them to help maintain your muscle mess, make sure to get in regular strength training as otherwise you are wasting your money. If you are under 50, save your money.

PS if you enjoy going to gym just for social reasons and not big on the exercise, that's also great. This kind of socialisation is linked to a longer healthspan.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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02 Start Slowly - Bodily Compensation Has Consequences

The hip bone's connected to the thigh bone, the thigh bone's connected to the knee bone etc etc. Everything is connected, from our neck to our toes.

Our body always compensates for an injury. This is survival - to get away from the marauding tiger or to crawl out of the plane wreck. When you are safe you start to feel the pain from the bits that had to work so hard to save you.

Being more aware of this "compensation" might help you avoid further injuries.

I say "might" because even I don’t always listen to my own advice. For example, "after injury start slowly". Perhaps I'll try to spread the blame by saying that runners are known for ignoring this specific advice and pushing too hard too early.

Regular readers will know that I injured my hamstring about 6 month ago, "a substantial tear" said the radiologist. About 4 weeks ago I started running again, around 7 km each time. Last Saturday I ran a little faster, down to 5'30"/km for one section of the trail.

After stretching, my left knee developed pain on the inside (the MCL) and behind on the outside where some stabilising muscles attach. This will take a month to repair.

Compensation

The left knee injury is because my right leg wasn't full able to power the faster pace.

The left leg had to pick up the slack, working harder than usual to stabilise my stride, absorb more impact, or push off with extra force. Over time, this extra workload stressed the structures:

• When your gait changes due to weakness in one leg, the other knee often bears the brunt of the adjustment.
• Over time my left leg muscles (like the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf) tightened due to overwork, pulled on the knee joint causing stiffness and pain.
• This in turn lead to irritation in the tendons, ligaments, and cartilage around the knee and capsule.
• The pain behind the right knee is because the calf muscles were trying to compensate for the imbalance, putting extra strain on the tendons.

⇒ All up, pushing harder too soon caused cascading compensations which in total finally exhausted their capability to cope.

What this means for you: Our body is smart — it knows how to adapt when something isn’t working quite right. But sometimes, those adaptations can lead to unintended consequences.

It’s always better to take a little extra time to recover fully than to risk setting yourself back with another injury.

⇒ Keep listening to your body—it’s got a lot of wisdom to share!

Next time I'll listen harder and start slower.

Related: ​​​​​​Even Very Active Runners Lose Leg Strength Without Resistance Training​​​

@Medium - Follow me on Medium ↗, covering ⭑food, ⭑brain, ⭑body, ⭑life

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03 The Post-Dinner Walk + Dark Chocolate Combo

A brisk walk after dinner, paired with a modest square of dark chocolate, can work wonders—not just for your digestion but also for keeping your mind razor-sharp.

I head outside every night about 8pm for a 40 minute fast-ish walk. I listen to a topical podcast I make with Google's NotebookLM, and when that finishes I either listen to Spotify or pack up the earbuds.

Imagine this: instead of plopping down after supper, you step outside for a 10–15‑minute walk. This simple action helps your body manage blood sugar levels and kickstarts circulation long after you’ve finished eating.

And if you finish off your evening with a couple of squares of dark chocolate (look for 70% cocoa or higher), you’re not just indulging your sweet tooth; you’re delivering a potent dose of antioxidants right where you need them.

⇒ Systematic research backs this up.

Studies published in Diabetes Care have shown that a short post-meal walk significantly blunts blood glucose spikes and improves insulin sensitivity—key factors in protecting your metabolic health and delaying or preventing Type 2 diabetes.

Meanwhile, meta-analyses in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrate that dark chocolate (with at least 70% cocoa) can boost endothelial function and enhance cerebral blood flow, which supports cognitive performance and may even help reduce the onset of dementia.

What this means for you: This dynamic duo works to save your belly by stabilising blood sugar and your brain by boosting circulation and fighting inflammation:
​
• After dinner, take a brisk 10–15‑minute walk (leave the remote behind). This simple step improves digestion and enhances blood flow to your brain.
• Enjoy 1–2 squares of quality dark chocolate as your dessert. It’s a small treat with big antioxidant benefits—think of it as food for thought!
• Repeat this routine 3–4 evenings a week, and notice how it helps keep your body balanced and your mind clear.

⇒ A few minutes out the door and a little dark chocolate might just be the unexpected trick to saving your evening (and your brain)!

Related: ​​​​​​​​​​​Don’t Distract Your Immune System With Poor Dental Hygiene​​​​​​​​​​​

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04 Correct Riding Position In and Out of the Saddle

Our exercise of the week is ... wall-sits.

I've never heard anyone say "I love doing wall-sits". I'm not especially fond of them myself. But, if you want to activate your large muscles and create intensity necessary for that protein absorption up above, then these will do the job for you at home.

Wall sit variations work wonders for your quadriceps, glutes, and core. By simply pressing your back against a wall and sliding into a squat position, you activate these muscle groups without stressing the joints. Adjust the duration or add a gentle squeeze of a ball between your knees to increase the challenge.

What this means for you: Check out this video, which gives you a short routine of "wall exercises" including wall sits. Not intensive enough for activating the anabolic protein cycle in item #1 but a good start.

Wall sits are scalable based on your fitness level - nice!

1. Basic Wall Sit

• How to do it : Stand with your back against a wall, feet shoulder-width apart, and about 1–2 feet lengths away from the wall. Slide your back down the wall until your knees are bent at approximately 90 degrees (or less if needed). Hold the position. Reduce the depth of the squat if full range of motion is challenging.
• Muscles worked : Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, calves, and core.

2. Wall Sit with Leg Lifts

• How to do it : Perform a wall sit, then lift one leg off the ground slightly while keeping the other foot planted. Alternate legs.
• Benefits : Adds balance training and engages the core more intensely.

3. Wall Sit with Arm Raises

• How to do it : While holding the wall sit position, raise your arms overhead or out to the sides like a "T" position.
• Benefits : Incorporates upper body engagement and improves posture.

Here’s a suggested protocol:

• Perform 2–3 sets per session, with each set consisting of a 30–45‑second sit.
• Rest for 30–60 seconds between sets to allow your muscles to recover.
• Aim to do this routine 2–3 times per week, gradually increasing the hold time by 5–10 seconds as your strength improves.​​​​​​​​​​​​

Thanks for reading!

P.S. If you are not yet subscribed to my free exercise app, try now ↓↓↓ Free forever. Opt-out any time. Opt-in by CLICKING HERE PLEASE SEND ME THE EXERCISES. NOTE: YOU ONLY NEED TO SUBSCRIBE ONE TIME.

>> My Latest Blog Post: Energise Your Golden Years: Boosting Your Desire to Exercise with Gut-Healthy Foods​

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