Muscle Loss Leads to Fat Gain

Perhaps one of the least known and most important facts with respect to weight management is that muscle loss leads to fat gain. Because most of us add body weight during our adult years, we are unaware that we are losing muscle tissue at the rate of more than five pounds per decade. Because muscles are the engines of our bodies, the effect of muscle loss on energy utilization is similar to trading in an 8-cylinder sports car for a 4-cylinder economy car.
 
A major consequence of less muscle tissue is a lower resting metabolism, which decreases at an average rate of about three percent per decade. While this may not seem like such a serious problem, a three percent resting metabolic rate reduction can result in a 20 pound fat accumulation every 10 years of adult life.
 
Here is how this undesirable process plays out. Over the course of 10 years, a three percent reduction in resting metabolism averages about 20 fewer calories burned at rest every day. Other things equal, this will result in a two pound fat gain each year or a 20 pound fat accumulation every decade. Coincidentally, this represents the average rate of fat gain experienced by American adults during their midlife years. While nutritional habits (such as too many food calories consumed) and activity patterns (such as too few exercise calories expended) can certainly cause fat accumulation, it should be clear that reduced resting metabolic rate can also lead to fat gain. This is particularly true for inactive individuals, because their resting metabolism is responsible for more than 70 percent of the calories they burn each day.
 
Simply put, the sequence of events associated with sedentary living is muscle loss, resulting in resting metabolic rate reduction, leading to fat gain. Because muscle is relatively active tissue, even under resting conditions, the calories that were previously used by the lost muscle tissue are sent into fat storage in a slow but sure process referred to as creeping obesity.
 
Unfortunately, most people are unaware of these insidious processes that gradually increase our fat stores. However, once we understand that muscle loss predisposes fat gain, we can take steps to maintain our muscle tissue. In fact, a basic program of resistance exercise can effectively reverse muscle loss and recharge resting metabolic rate. It is therefore recommended to complement a healthful nutrition plan with regular strength training. This combination actually provides a triple threat to fat by taking in fewer food calories, using calories during each exercise session, and burning additional calories 24 hours a day through an increased resting metabolism.