Calorie Crusher: Can putting on muscle make you burn fat faster?
It seems as if going on that low-carb, high-protein diet may be good for toning up a flabby body after all.
You may have heard it before, from gym-goers and training enthusiasts: “muscle burns fat”. Is this really true? And how can this impact on your metabolism?
Hello muscle, goodbye fat
It is true that muscle tissue weighs more than fat – so if you build more lean muscle, you may notice the numbers on your weighing scale creeping up. But, of course, it is possible to gain muscle without putting on the pounds. For your body to sustain the muscle it builds, it has to burn calories – and muscle uses up more calories than fat does, even if you are stationary. Yes, that means you’re burning calories even in your sleep.
This constant usage of your body’s fuel and energy means that your metabolism is constantly revved up. This is a natural, accumulative occurrence in the human body. Our bodies burn more calories to maintain one pound of muscle than it does to maintain the same amount of fat. The bottom line is: the more muscle you pack on, the more calories and energy your body uses up each day while at rest.
A balance between muscle and fat
Is this a good reason to be consuming more protein and less carbohydrates for optimum muscle-building sustenance? And should we be hitting the gym every day?
We’d like to say that moderation is always paramount in the quest for a healthy lifestyle and body. While adding muscle to your body can significantly increase your metabolic rate and potentially cause you to burn more fat than usual, it wouldn’t do to overexert yourself. A toned physique is healthy and attractive, but aiming for too much muscle just because you want to burn all the fat from your body is not ideal. A healthy body requires some fat cells in order to provide the body with energy and insulation, and also to support a healthy skin structure.
Angela Goh
Photo: Getty Images
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