Why Worry about building muscles?

Introduction

Maintaining a healthy weight is essential for overall health and well-being. Many people struggle with weight management and often turn to fad diets or extreme exercise programs to achieve their weight loss goals. However, a crucial factor in weight management that is often overlooked is the importance of muscle mass to calorie burning. In this blog, we will explore how muscle mass affects calorie burning, the benefits of building muscle, and strategies for increasing muscle mass.

The Role of Muscle Mass in Calorie Burning

Muscle tissue is metabolically active, meaning it burns calories even at rest. This is because muscle tissue requires energy to maintain itself, and the more muscle tissue a person has, the more energy their body will need to burn to maintain that tissue. In fact, muscle tissue burns about six calories per pound per day, compared to only two calories per pound per day burned by fat tissue (Prado et al., 2018). This means that even when a person is sitting or sleeping, their muscle tissue is burning more calories than their fat tissue.

Additionally, muscle mass plays a critical role in increasing metabolism. When a person has more muscle mass, their basal metabolic rate (BMR) increases. BMR is the number of calories a person burns at rest to keep their body functioning properly. By increasing muscle mass, a person can increase their BMR, which means they will burn more calories throughout the day, even when they are not exercising.

Benefits of Building Muscle Mass

Building muscle mass has numerous benefits beyond weight management. Some of the benefits include:

1. Improved strength and mobility: As muscle mass increases, so does strength and mobility. This can help individuals perform daily tasks more easily and with less strain on the body.

2. Increased bone density: Resistance training, which is the primary way to build muscle mass, has been shown to increase bone density. This can help prevent osteoporosis and other bone-related disorders.

3. Reduced risk of chronic disease: Building muscle mass has been linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer (Peterson et al., 2018).

4. Improved mental health: Exercise, including resistance training, has been shown to improve mental health by reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety (Mikkelsen et al., 2017).

Strategies for Increasing Muscle Mass

Resistance training is the most effective way to increase muscle mass. Resistance training involves using weights, resistance bands, or bodyweight exercises to create resistance against the muscles. This resistance stimulates muscle growth, leading to increased muscle mass over time.

It is recommended to perform resistance training exercises at least two times per week, targeting all major muscle groups. This includes exercises such as squats, lunges, push-ups, and pull-ups. It is also important to gradually increase the weight or resistance used in these exercises as strength and muscle mass increase.

In addition to resistance training, it is important to consume adequate protein to support muscle growth. Protein is essential for muscle repair and growth, and without enough protein in the diet, muscle growth will be limited. It is recommended to consume 1-1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for individuals engaging in resistance training (Phillips, 2016).

Conclusion

Muscle mass plays a crucial role in calorie burning and overall health. By increasing muscle mass through resistance training and adequate protein consumption, individuals can improve their strength, mobility, bone density, and reduce their risk of chronic disease. So, if you're looking to manage your weight, don't just focus on calorie restriction, make sure to include resistance training in your fitness routine to build muscle and increase calorie burning.

References:

1. Prado, C. M., Siervo, M., Mire, E., Heymsfield, S. B., & Stephan, B. C. M. (2018). A population-based approach to define body-composition phenotypes. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 107(5), 722-730.

2. Peterson, M. D., Sen, A., & Gordon, P. M. (2018). Influence of resistance exercise on lean body mass in aging adults: a meta-analysis. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 50(12), 2288-2297.

3. Phillips, S. M. (2016). Protein requirements and supplementation in strength sports. Nutrition, 32(2), 103-108.

4. Mikkelsen, K., Stojanovska, L., Polenakovic, M., Bosevski, M., & Apostolopoulos, V. (2017). Exercise and mental health. Maturitas, 106, 48-56.