Fat and muscle are entirely different animals and should be handled as such. Fat is a sedentary creature hanging around doing nothing except taking up space. Pound for pound, body fat takes up 66% more space than muscle. The scale is deceiving because muscle weighs more than fat. But muscle is active, even at rest, and burns calories—anywhere from 30-50 a day. The same can’t be said for fat. It’s dead weight. However, its reserves can be tapped as a fuel source to build muscle during exercise.
Starve the fat. Feed the muscle.
The body, albeit an amazing machine, has a commander-in-chief: the brain. The primordial brain wasn’t born yesterday. It remembers when we were hunter-gatherers and is conditioned to warehouse fat as fuel to get us through lean times. Except today, we aren’t living in caves waiting out harsh winters. But our reptilian brain doesn’t know that, and it isn’t giving up the fat buffers without a fight. The minute it senses starvation mode, it aligns for self-preservation. It usually takes 3-5 days for it to make a risk assessment. It’s intake vs. expenditure.
Our body works off a budget, and our brain is the accountant. Glucose is the body’s primary fuel source. Think of it as a form of currency. And, like money, if a limited amount is coming in, the brain has to budget accordingly. But the body doesn’t store glucose long-term. It does, however, store glycogen in the muscles that it converts to glucose in a pinch. Before the brain allows the body to tap fat for fuel, it breaks down muscle mass. The brain considers muscle expendable and will sacrifice it under collateral damage. Don’t sacrifice muscle at the expense of weight loss; it’s too valuable. Instead, use it as a fat burner.
Burning fat vs. building muscle
It depends on which mode of exercise we engage in: aerobic or anaerobic. The difference between them is their oxygen levels.
Aerobic, or cardio exercise, such as walking, jogging, cycling, strength training, and swimming, requires lower levels of oxygen input to maintain energy output. While it burns fat, it does so slowly at a minimal level.
Will it build muscle? Not in the way of a bodybuilder. But it is an ideal starting point for those new to fitness to work large muscle groups like arms, legs, and hips to strengthen your core (abdomen and back), and improve muscular endurance.
Benefits of an aerobic workout:
- Weight loss and weight management
- Boosts bone density
- Enhances balance
- Improves sleep quality
- Helps with depression and anxiety
Anaerobic exercise, such as sprinting, heavy weightlifting, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), plyometrics, and isometrics, requires short bursts of energy and utilizes glucose and stored muscle glycogen for fuel. Combining aerobic and anaerobic has been shown as the most effective for building muscle and burning fat. However, some of the anaerobic exercises require an advanced fitness level. To avoid injury, it is best to start slow and work up. Consult with a licensed trainer at your local gym. For beginners, consider adding isometrics to your aerobic workout. Yoga, Pilates, and ballet bar workouts are an ideal starting point to reap the benefits of a combined fitness routine.
Benefits of anaerobic exercise:
- Increases muscle mass and strength
- Raises metabolism by building muscles
- Ignites the fat burner
- Improves cardiovascular health and blood circulation
- Enhances endurance
- Releases mood-boosting endorphins
In summary, exercise and weight management are important components. But we still need to eat. How often we eat is just as important as what we eat. Case in point: if a doctor prescribed medication to be taken every three hours, would you down the daily allotment in one swallow? If you did, you would overdose. Food is a drug that should be consumed in similar intervals—small meals four times a day. The medication the doctor prescribed contains a precise formula. Too much of one ingredient, or not enough of another, alters the drug’s effect. The same applies to macronutrients. Here is an average ratio: 50% Carbohydrate. 30% Protein. 20% Fat. These percentages may vary based on age, activity level, and goals. Small meals consumed every three hours have the effect of an IV drip delivering vital nutrients into our system to maintain optimal health and wellness.
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