More Fitness Myth Bustersby Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger 13 Jun 2009 06:25 PM Apparently, big muscles aren't all they're cracked up to be. According to a new study, not only does exercise not boost metabolism as much as widely believed, but even more shocking, is the fact that increased muscle mass doesn't speed up weight loss either. Researchers maintain that while a pound of muscle burns more calories than a pound of fat - about seven to 10 calories a day versus two calories - most people don't put on enough muscle to make much of a difference. "Building muscle is very difficult for most individuals because it requires heavy weight workouts and a higher intake of calories," researchers at the University of Colorado in Denver noted in their recently released study. What's more, researchers added that average fitness enthusiasts will only add four to five pounds of lean mass and burn an additional 28 to 50 calories a day. Essentially, weight loss comes down to math. Simply put, the number of calories you intake should not exceed the number of calories you burn. Considering that it's much faster (and easier) to consume 400 calories (hello, chocolate donut), it's no wonder so many Americans struggle with the battle of the bulge. Experts say, to lose a pound of fat, you need to create a deficit of about 3,500 calories. That can be done with both diet and exercise. For example, if your goal is to lose a pound a week, you should consider reducing your food intake by 500 calories a day or burn an additional 500 calories each day through exercise (a combination of cardio and strength training is ideal). If you exercise, but don't replace the calories you burned during the workout, your body will burn more fat because you've created a caloric deficit. Basically, the more fit you become (big muscles or not), the harder you can work out, and the more calories you'll be able to burn. Related Articles: Walking May Not Be Good Enough What is Moderate-Intensity Exercise? Something is Better Than Nothing Creating an Affordable Fitness Plan How Often Do You Use Your Home Gym? Bad Things Happen When You Stop Going to the Gym Learn more about Michele Cheplic  Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. Relevantfitness tags family | parenting | holidays | ideas | children | relationships | Food | pregnancy | Kids | weight loss User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Discuss this article
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More fitness tagsfamily | parenting | holidays | ideas | children | relationships | Food | pregnancy | Kids | weight loss |
