Muscle versus Fat!

I watched the UK Biggest Loser this week and found the weigh-in concerning as it isn’t very clearly explained why the contestants who appear to have worked so hard  lose very little weight.

My own theory, based on both my own experience and coaching my clients through their weight loss journey, is that it’s the muscle versus fat conundrum.

The Skinny on Fat & Our Body

Basically, fat is lighter than muscle but takes up more volume.  A poor “diet” leads to depletion of Lean Body Mass and increase in body fat so you have to reverse cycle by losing fat and maintaining and increasing lean muscle mass.

MRI of fat stored around the body

Why increase lean body mass (LBM)?

• Every 1lb/0.9kg of LBM burns 14 calories per day
• Every 1lb/0.9kg of fat burns only 2 calories per day
• Muscle occupies less space (smaller trouser or dress size)
• More muscle = more calorie burn
• Fat is unhealthy and undesirable, studies now show fat releases health damaging hormones into your body

Our bodies use the food we store in the following order:

1^st            Sugar

2^nd           Protein

Finally      Fat

So we need to keep our lean muscle mass healthy and growing – every 1lb/0.9kg  of muscle burning 14 calories – sounds like a great reason to ensure that we have the right amount of lean muscle mass to me!! By increasing our daily intake of good nutrition we get our bodies out of starvation/survival mode.

Help your body become a “lean mean fat burning machine”

In order to effectively burn fat, we must use it as a source of fuel. To do this in a healthy way, we need to decrease quick sugars and increase protein and good nutrients. This will keep the body working at optimum and help steady and increase metabolism.

So there are three quick ways to make your body a fat burner:

1. Eat enough of the right calories (good nutrition)

2. Eat enough protein

3. Starve your body of the ‘quick sugars’ found in starches and processed foods

TIP:  Don’t obsess with the scale. Instead, look at/focus on your inch/cm loss and how your clothes fit as what matters. What your measurements will tell you is how your resting metabolic rate and fat percentage are responding to your changing habits. You WILL ‘eventually’ lose ‘weight’ if you are burning body fat.