Somewhere on the internet, you must have heard that having more muscle mass increases your metabolism.
But is this true? Does having higher muscle mass improve fat burning or increase metabolism by burning more calories?
Not necessarily, as a pound of muscle only burns around 6 calories per day, which is peanuts.
However, please don’t underestimate the effort it takes to build that pound of muscle. Imagine you want to build 5 pounds of lean muscle. To gain that much muscle, you will have to put in a lot of work to develop and maintain it.
So, it’s not the RESULTS or the pounds of muscles you gained that’s important; it’s the PROCESS or the effort it takes to build it that burns the most calories.
Research has shown that weight training burns more calories than we initially thought, and resistance training can keep your metabolism elevated for up to 48 hours after you finish your workout. Research also suggests that having more muscle mass improves insulin sensitivity, which means you process carbs more efficiently and are less likely to develop diabetes.
In other words, muscle changes the way your body reacts to food. That’s because your muscles need the energy to repair, maintain, or grow.
So, adding lean muscle mass means your body processes food and calories differently, making it less likely that what you eat will be stored as fat.
I have also found that the leaner I am, the more I can get away with having higher amounts of calories via food without worrying about adding excess fat to my body.
I hope that answers your question about how gaining more muscle mass helps improve your metabolism.
By the way, I also offer personalised online coaching for those who want to take their health and fitness to the next level. I can help you:
• Manage stress, mood and energy
• Become more mobile & flexible
• Shred pounds & keep them off
• Build muscle & strength
