A Pound of Muscle Burns 30-50 Kcal A Day Really

A pound of Muscle Burns 30-50 Kcal/Day, Really… 1
A Pound of Muscle Burns 30-50 Kcal/Day, Really…

Two “expert” fitness websites contradict each now is 4710 kcal/day without even counting the
other – according to one “each additional pound highly metabolic heart (200 kcal/lb) or any other
of muscle equates to an increase of 50 kcal of tissue including the skin or fat, although the
resting metabolism each day” but the other latter provides the lowest metabolic stimulus at
online site suggests “you will burn an additional about 2 kcals per pound. After it’s all said and
30 calories a day by adding a pound of muscle done this person would require over 5000 kcal
mass.” Which is correct? As you may expect from their diet a day to support rest; imagine if
from the internet, neither website is correct. he exercised.
Presumably these inflated numbers come from
antiquated studies with poor conclusions that Using a simple formula to look at the oxygen
looked at the effects of resistance training on demands of tissue exemplifies the limited
muscle mass gains and metabolism. Several calories expended per pound of muscle.
early studies demonstrated gains of 1.5-2 kg of Working muscles use carbohydrates as a
lean mass in untrained individuals performing primary fuel for more intense exercise.
resistance training for 8-12 weeks. The Therefore, applying the concept that lean tissues
metabolic result was a daily increase of 200-300 burns 5 kcal per liter of oxygen when used with
calories above previous measured daily carbohydrates, the metabolic rate of the tissue
expenditure. Doing some simple math, if a can be calculated during activity. Consider 60
person added 3 pounds of muscle and burned minutes of exercise at a 10 MET intensity.
240 calories more per day the net gain would be
80 kcals per pound. But this would not be the 1 lb of muscle = 0.45 kg lean mass x .035 L (10
doing of lean mass alone. METS) x 60 min x 5 kcal/L = 4.7 kcal/hour
per pound
Working out with weights burns calories, as
does any movement. To suggest an increase of This equates to approximately 350 kcals for total
one or two pounds of muscle equates to a muscle mass if used in a workout. Since we do
notable increase in resting metabolic rate would not use total musculature continuously in a 60
be inaccurate. Muscle has a low metabolic rate minute workout this number is inflated, but the
compared to other metabolic tissues at rest. It is other tissues make up for the difference. During
estimated that sedentary muscle mass burns cross country skiing for example, the muscles
about 6 kcals per pound/day or 0.25 calories an can require 60-70% of cardiac output, but at rest
hour per pound. This number obviously only 15%. At rest, the metabolic organs actually
increases with activity relative to the intensity, contribute heavily to metabolism and use a
but looking it at from a metabolic perspective higher percentage of cardiac output (about 50%).
(METS) that number still does not reach 50 kcal Even bone receives more than 10% cardiac
per pound. If it did, a 185 lb person would need output at rest. It is the workouts and other
3885 calories to sustain their muscle tissue physical activities engaged in during the day that
which represents only about 40% of bodyweight. raise the metabolic rate of muscle to the roughly
What about the other sixty percent, and the 3885 11 kcals per pound suggested in exercise
calories does not take into account the 300 kcal physiology textbooks. Part of the reason that
for the brain (109 kcal/lb) or the 400 kcal for the muscle only does so much to promote metabolic
liver (91 kcal/lb) and 125 kcal for kidneys (200 expenditure in a day is the body is at rest for the
kcal/lb). Add these organs in and this number
National Council on Strength & Fitness
majority of the time. If it burned high levels of This is where a second fitness fallacy comes into
calories at rest, early humans would have play. Many exercisers increase protein to
constantly been searching for food or would maintain or add lean mass. But consumed
have starved to death. Although representing protein does not equate to gained lean mass.
only about 6% of bodyweight, the metabolic Excess protein in the diet follows a preferential
organs contribute much more dramatically to path to triglyceride formation. Eating more
resting expenditure than the quantifiably heavier protein only ensures more nitrogen enters the
muscle and fat tissue. body which often requires more water to excrete
it. The same muscle websites that tell you
The muscles though, do provide a metabolic adding a pound of muscle contributes to 50 kcal
boost during rest in the recovery of exercise. of resting metabolism are the ones suggesting a
This “after burn” or more correctly excess post person needs a gram of protein per pound to add
exercise oxygen consumption occurs in response muscle mass.
to the physiological disruption in the tissue. Post
exercise, muscles and organs are drained of Muscle tissue really only needs a relatively
energy and require replenishment, the heart must small amount of added protein to promote the
continue to work to supply oxygen to ischemic process of remodeling. An intake of 1.6 grams
tissues and to help promote byproduct removal per kilogram of body weight easily supports this
in the fast component of the process. A slower goal without crossing the tolerable upper limit
component that lengthens the durations of (UL). Certainly body builders who take steroids
recovery is the imposed rate of protein turnover can utilize more protein because they have the
associated with higher intensity training, internal environment to use it, but the need for a
particularly from high tension anaerobic personal training client is much reduced in
exercises like squats and deadlifts. Most forms comparison. Consider this, a pound of muscle
of resistance exercise will increase protein weighs 454 g and is composed of 22% protein.
turnover albeit body building, strength training, This equates to about 100 g of protein in a
or conditioning drills such as plyometrics and all pound of muscle. Therefore to add a pound of
will increase calorie expenditure in the hours muscle in a week (assuming appropriate training
that follow based on tension and total volume. and anabolic activity) a person would need only
100 additional grams of protein per week or 14 g
Therefore adding muscle is just as important as per day (56 kcal). To add mass the body actually
training the current muscle that exists on the needs calories, about 400-500 extra a day to add
body. This explains why clinically supervised a pound of muscle a week. But that does not
weight loss programs emphasize the mean all the calories should come from protein
maintenance of lean mass. Losses of lean mass and the added calories also usually means added
during the “dieting” process reduce the caloric fat as well. When put into perspective the same
contribution of muscle and just 10 kcals/day 185 lb person would only need 75 g of protein a
equates to the metabolic equivalent of one pound day if sedentary, and if he suddenly became an
of fat in a year. Looking at the numbers from a avid weightlifter would require 134 g of protein
day to day perspective devalues the tissues per day or an increase of 59 g from his sedentary
impact over time. To defend against this risk requirement. This jump in protein includes any
many with the goal of weight loss increase additional muscle building needs.
protein intake to preserve muscle.
Interestingly though, many exercise programs
attempt to emphasize adding muscle mass to

help reduce fat mass and use cardiovascular maintaining mass (which also speaks to
exercise and restricted diet to reduce body fat at improved cardiovascular and anaerobic
the same time. Based on the above this should endurance conditioning) before focusing on
sound counterintuitive. To add mass you need adding mass whilst trying to limit fat gain. For
calories, to lose mass you need to remove the obese the goal should be physical activity in
calories. Deconditioned people and those who general, to manage the likely inflammatory
are anabolically enhanced are really the only problems and for those with cardio-metabolic
ones who lose fat while they add muscle and the disease an emphasis on health and fitness will
prior will add a relatively small amount before complement weight loss. Regardless of the
leveling off quickly. Based on this information population being addressed, having a better idea
weight loss programs may benefit from a of the dynamics that affect metabolism and body
periodized approach where at one point they mass certainly aid in finding a level of success in
emphasize caloric expenditure with a goal of managing it.

A Pound of Muscle Burns 30-50 Kcal A Day Really

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

A Pound of Muscle Burns 30-50 Kcal A Day Really

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

A Pound of Muscle Burns 30-50 Kcal A Day Really

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

A pound of Muscle Burns 30-50 Kcal/Day, Really… 1

A Pound of Muscle Burns 30-50 Kcal/Day, Really…

National Council on Strength & Fitness

National Council on Strength & Fitness

You might also like