By: Rusty Moore
Is Gaining Muscle Mass a Good Strategy for Fat Loss?
I am sick and tired of hearing trainers tell their clients that they need to gain muscle to lose fat quickly. If this was the case, wouldn’t all of the big guys be much leaner? In most instances it is the guys with a regular amount of muscle that are the leanest guys in the gym.
Gaining Muscle is a VERY Inefficient Way to Lose Body Fat
The math simply doesn’t work out…you burn an extra 12 calories per day for each pound of lean muscle that you gain. Let’s say you gained 10 pounds of pure muscle (which would mean that you probably had to gain 10 pounds of weight). You would burn an extra 120 calories each day from that 10 pound muscle gain.
Diet and Cardio, Done Properly, Can Help You Lose Fat Quickly
Diet and cardio can create a massive calorie deficit that muscle gain can’t touch. Remember the fact that 10 pounds of fat can burn 120 calories more each day? Well, you could create a calorie deficit of close to 10 times that amount with a proper diet and intense cardio.
Too Much Muscle Can Ruin the Look of Your Physique
Too much muscle makes a guy look kind of “cheesy”. Women have been trying to tell guys for years that they prefer men to have average sized muscles, but with good muscle tone. Women never look good with a bunch of muscle. Those female bodybuilders look like men! Sorry to offend anyone, but that is a really bad look!
If you want to gain muscle, then work on gaining muscle. If you want to burn body fat, then diet and cardio is the way to go!