Monday 13 August 2007

What Muscle, Fat And Water Have To Do With Your Weight

Have you ever wondered how long and how intensely you would have to athletically train to turn all that loose bodyfat into toned muscle? When you stop training, how long will it take before the muscle turns back into fat? It is essential to clarify that it is a complete myth that you can turn fat and muscle are two completely different tissues.

They have different structures and functions, they react to training in different ways and, simply put, one does not have the capability to turn into the other.Body fat is completely related to calories, and the amount that we have is directly influenced by the number of calories consumed versus calories expended.

Calories consumed obviously come from the foods we eat. It is important to recognize that when we consume any type of food in excess, whether it is carbohydrates, protein or dietary fat, it will be converted to body fat.Muscle is very different from fat. Each muscle is made up of thousands of individual cells, also called muscle fibers. While the number of a muscle's cells/fibers can not increase, each individual muscle fiber has the potential to increase in size, density and efficiency.

These changes may occur together but not necessarily to the same degree, however, all will translate to an increase in strength. This is important because one of the key problems with the so-called "yo-yo diet" is that people lose weight rapidly from muscle and fat stores by following a strict or crash diet. When they return to more normal eating habits, weight is re-gained, but it is always fat gain and never muscle.

This often means that while they can be back to their pre-diet weight, it's all fat, which is unhealthier than the original starting point.Quick Summary of FatFat can not become muscle and muscle can not become fat.

Fat can only be reduced if the number of calories expended in a day exceeds the number of calories consumed in a day.
Fat will be gained if the opposite occurs. If you stop training, and compensate for this with a slight reduction in diet, your body

fatwill not increase. If you begin training but also increase your dietary intake, you can gain fat.

Fat cells act as one, meaning you can not choose where you lose it or gain it. Quick Summary of MuscleChanges in muscle size, density and/or efficiency cause an increase in strength; however, these changes only result if the muscle is stimulated beyond what it is accustomed to. Weight training is the easiest way to control and monitor the changes in your muscle physiology.

Because of this, it is possible to increase your strength without adding bulk, and it is also possible to increase both. When you stop stimulating the muscle, your muscle composition may return to normal or, depending on your regular routine, it may simply stay as is. Unlike fat, each muscle can be specifically targeted, so you can choose the specific area you would like to improve. With that said, realize that while you can work your abdominal muscles, for example, you may not see the enhanced shape and form if you have a thick layer of fat


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