Muscle vs. Fat Loss...Does It Help?

Common Question: Does muscle burn fat and can I eat whatever I want as long as I am gaining muscle?

Gym junkies like me are on a quest to shape our bodies into the best possible shape they can be. While it is true that muscle does burn calories, for the most part it is not enough to burn off a bad eating habit nor is it enough if you are not getting in a good cardio exercise. All you get is some nice muscle tonage...hidden underneath a layer of fat.

Personal experience with muscle building…

Winter months are hard to get through. For me, a good way to burn off energy was to go to the gym and do some weight lifting all the while eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. Sure I had the right idea by hitting the gym, but I did not see the results in my body fat melting away. Of course I built muscle, but it wasn't until I started eating healthy meals (in healthy portion sizes!) and incorporating cardio into my routine that I actually saw the fat fall off.

What about having a little fun…

Most cities have many good restaurants and fun things to do that include eating. Although muscle does not burn a huge amount of calories, it does however give you the opportunity to go out and have a little fun. With an increased metabolism from the extra muscle, you are able to go out and enjoy that hamburger with friends or family every once in a blue moon...and not even worry about buying bigger pants in the morning. Keep in mind that once in a while is not three days out of the week :-). For me it is nice to have a little fun in my eating. It makes my workout that much more rewarding knowing that I can go out with friends or family every once in awhile without consequences or regret. I look forward to that time and it also motivates me to eat better and workout harder. Not to mention I feel really good about me.

The Bottom Line…

So here's the bottom line: if you want to shed unwanted fat, there's no shortcut, you just have to eat healthy. Gaining muscle will exponentially help with that fat loss but in order to see real results you need to eat healthy portioned meals along with that good workout schedule that is building/toning that muscle. In order to live like this I had to have a good laid out workout and eating plan. Keeping true to a disciplined schedule is the key. Working out sporadically as well as eating healthy sporadically simply does not work. I was able to gain the muscle I wanted and lose the fat by following such a schedule. You can too with a little motivation in the right direction (and if you need help with some guidelines to getting started, maybe it'd be worth checking in to a fitness expert who specializes in diet and exercise.)


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Zach Hunt is an Spokane Fitness Coach expert and the owner of Physzique, a personal fitness coaching company in Spokane, WA helping people to look and feel great. Go here: Spokane Muscle Vs. Fat for more info on these services and more great fitness tips.