Does Having Muscle Really Burn Body Fat?
The idea that you can burn fat by building muscle might sound too good to be true. But it's just simple science.
We break down how building muscle can support and enhance fat burn, and how you can structure your fitness program to maximize this potential benefit and hit your fat loss goals.
Key Takeaways
- Muscle tissue is metabolically active and requires more calories to maintain than fat tissue.
- Therefore, building muscle can enhance your resting metabolic rate.
- In turn, that can help you stay in a calorie deficit, which is crucial for fat loss.
- Regular resistance training is key to maintaining and building muscle while losing fat.
- That process is called body recomposition, and there are workout programs specifically designed to guide you through it.
See More: How Many Sets Per Workout Should I Do?
The Role of Muscle Mass in Fat Loss
Carriejune, founder of Minibeast, says:
"Muscle itself doesn't burn fat. But maintaining and building muscle can support and even enhance fat burn."
If you're trying to lose body weight, muscle growth might not be the first thing you think of. After all, you're trying to get the number on the scale to go down, not up. Right?
Actually, no.
Building more muscle tissue is actually a fantastic way to support and even enhance fat loss.
We'll break down the science behind that principle. But first, we need to explain why weight loss and fat loss aren't the same thing.
Losing Weight vs. Losing Fat
When people talk about losing weight, they usually mean losing fat.
You can divide your total body weight into two broad categories. The first is fat mass. It's all the fat tissue distributed throughout your body.
Not all body fat is bad. In fact, we all need some to stay healthy.
The rest is called lean body mass. It's basically everything that isn't fat, including muscle, bone, and water.
As you might know, the general principle behind losing weight is a calorie deficit. That means burning more calories than you consume.
When you do that, your body theoretically converts stored body fat into usable energy.
How Not to Lose Muscle, Too
Unfortunately, fat isn't the only tissue your body can burn for energy. The same can happen to your muscle mass, too.
In some cases, up to 25-30% of the weight lost from dieting is lean tissue.
That's not ideal. Your lean mass is important for your overall health. Your skeletal muscles help protect your joints, support bone health, and are what allow you to move around. Muscles also support insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control.
Fortunately, there are ways to prevent this muscle loss from happening.
Perhaps the most important is resistance training. Regular training during weight loss can preserve muscle mass, potentially preventing that 25-30% loss.
That doesn't mean you have to live in the gym. Two or three strength training sessions a week can provide tangible benefits.
Intensity is often more important. High-intensity exercise can help burn fat and build muscle.
Getting enough protein is also important. Experts usually recommend aiming for a protein intake of about 1.2-1.6 g per kilogram of body weight, or 0.7-1 g per pound. Your body uses that protein for building muscle.
Pacing your weight loss appropriately may also be helpful. Consistent, steady progress is often more sustainable than intense weight loss programs that put your body under intense strain.
One common recommendation is to aim for a gradual weight loss of about 1-2 lbs per week.
Bonus: Here's Why You Should Wear a Waist Trainer While Working Out
Does Muscle Burn Fat?
There are plenty of reasons to want to keep your muscle mass around. One reason is that it can help you burn fat.
First, a disclaimer. Muscle tissue itself doesn't actively burn fat. Instead, it supports and potentially enhances your energy expenditure, which can help you remain in that calorie deficit we discussed.
That's because muscle is considered to be a metabolically active tissue. In fact, your muscle tissue accounts for about 20% of the calories your body burns every day.
Crucially, it generally requires more calories for your body to maintain muscle mass than fat mass.
A pound of body fat generally burns around 2-4 calories per day. By comparison, a pound of muscle burns about 6-10 calories per day.
That's a huge difference. Theoretically, then, building muscle can enhance your resting metabolic rate. That's the number of calories burned while at rest.
Of course, lifting weights itself also burns calories. Not as much as cardio exercise, but still notable.
After you exercise, your body needs to repair. The process of repairing muscle also takes energy. It also requires increased oxygen consumption.
That increase is called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. It's thought to increase calorie burn up to 48 hours after you exercise.
So, muscle building can support and even enhance calorie burning and fat loss in three ways. The workouts themselves burn calories, excess post-exercise oxygen consumption can enhance calorie burn, and building muscle can enhance your resting metabolic rate.
How to Build Muscle While Losing Fat
Muscle gain might support and even enhance fat loss, but gaining muscle while simultaneously losing fat can be tricky. It's a process called body recomposition.
If you aren't sure where to start, consider a professionally designed workout program.
Minibeast's Tone & Tighten Program is specifically designed for what Carriejune calls "body recomp." It guides you through the process of adjusting your body composition, cutting fat and building muscle.
You get access to customized, macro-based meal plans, example diets, a workout program specifically designed for body recomposition, cardio guidelines, and much more. It's the best 8-week workout program for at-home and gym fitness.
Conclusion
Muscle itself might not burn fat. But building muscle can enhance your resting metabolic rate, both in the short- and long-term. That, in turn, can help with burning fat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Having Muscle Help Burn Fat?
Yes. Muscle tissue is considered metabolically active. It requires more calories to maintain than fat tissue. Building muscle may help enhance your body's daily calorie expenditure, which can help burn fat.
What Burns the Most Body Fat?
Ultimately, a healthy diet with a calorie deficit is crucial for burning body fat. Experts often recommend pairing that with cardio exercise to burn calories and resistance training to build muscle, which can support or enhance fat burn.
What Gets Burned First, Fat or Muscle?
Fat is usually the body's primary backup energy source, so theoretically it should be burned before muscle. However, your body may also burn muscle, especially if you aren't consuming enough protein, your calorie intake is too low, or you aren't engaging in any resistance training.
Keep Reading: When Should I Increase My Dumbbell Weight?
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