About this episode
Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS to see exactly how these walking breaks impact your daily calorie burn and support your muscle-building or fat loss goals or go to witsandweights.com/blog/macrofactor -- Can you immediately increase muscle building by 47%? It's 3 PM on a Tuesday, and you've been glued to your desk since 8 AM. Your back is stiff, your energy is crashing, and you can feel that familiar tightness setting in from hours of sitting. But here's what you don't realize: that prolonged sitting isn't just making you uncomfortable. It's actively blocking your muscle protein synthesis, sabotaging your ability to build muscle from the food you eat. A groundbreaking 2022 study revealed a shocking truth: prolonged sitting can reduce your muscle protein synthesis by nearly 50%, effectively blocking your body's ability to build muscle from the protein you eat. This happens through multiple pathways we'll discuss, and there's a stupidly simple solution that can have the opposite effect and boost muscle building by 47%! Main Takeaways: Prolonged sitting creates "anabolic resistance" that can reduce muscle protein synthesis by up to 50% A simple walking hack can completely reverse this effect and boost muscle building by 47% The biological mechanisms: improved blood flow, enhanced amino acid delivery, reactivated mTOR signaling, and better insulin sensitivity Compound benefits beyond muscle building include stable energy, better blood sugar control, improved recovery Study Mentioned: Study by Moore et al. (2022) published in The Journal of Physiology Timestamps: 0:01 - The hidden cost of prolonged sitting 4:05 - Why sitting blocks muscle gains 8:08 - How 2-minute breaks reverse the damage 11:16 - Practical tips to implement TODAY 14:15 - Compound effects beyond muscle building Support the show 📱 Get Fitness Lab - Philip’s science-based AI app for fat loss, muscle building, and strength training for people over 40. It adapts to your nutrition, recovery, and training to improve body composition without guesswork. 🎓 Try Physique University - Evidence-based nutrition coaching and strength training to help you lose fat, build muscle, and master your metabolism with support and accountability (free custom nutrition plan with code FREEPLAN ). 👥 Join our Facebook community - Free fat loss, muscle building, and body recomposition strategies for adults over 40 who want practical, science-backed fitness guidance. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram