subject: Not Using Our Muscles Is Making Us Fat [print this page] For the last 40 odd years we have believed that weight loss and weighing less on the bathroom scales is the key to living a healthy lifestyle. This focus on body weight is the most common approach but is in fact the least effective idea. A healthy metabolism (the body's engine) is way more important for a healthy body weight than numbers on a scale.
To achieve metabolic fitness proper exercise and healthy eating is the key so maximum fuel (calories) are burned both while being active and also while resting. This state of health means the body is taken from a sluggish fat storing one to an energetic fat burning one and has nothing to do with what a person weighs.
We have a new understanding of the impact of proper exercise that works the muscular system directly has on hormones and metabolism. It is time to bring the science of losing weight out of the dark ages so we can achieve better health and get rid of the excess body fat that almost two thirds of the world's population now has.
For decades we have been concerned only with what happened during an exercise session rather than what happened after it. Low slow endurance type activity and reduced calorie dieting was believed to be all that was needed to burn fat and get in good shape.
But we now know that could never work as both of these concepts work against the body's metabolism slowing it down and causing it to become sluggish putting the brakes on losing excess body fat.
We now know that what happens after an exercise session is the most important aspect of establishing metabolic fitness which relates to your bodies ability to burn fat. When you perform a proper strength training program that works your major muscles through their ranges of movement under a load 2-3 times each week this increases your lean body weight and increases your fat burning machinery.
The long slow repetitive activity that we used to think burnt lots of fat in fact only burns a tiny amount during the session and does little to nothing to increase the metabolism so higher amounts of fuel are burnt round the clock. The health and condition of your muscle tissue is what determines the rate you burn fuel (calories) and this is not toned up properly with long slow recreational activities.
Think of your muscle tissue as your fat burning friend. Like little factory workers your strong toned muscles will work away day and night gobbling up excess body fat even while you are sleeping. This is a very attractive proposition wouldn't you agree?
One of the reasons there is such a global overweight and obesity problem is that we rarely get to use of muscles anymore. Gadgets, machines and technology have replaced all of the 'work' as we used to call it so our lives have become easy and convenient. But the price is our body slows down, stores more fat and becomes susceptible to disease.
But it does not have to happen to you. Get yourself started on a strength training program for just 2-3 sessions each week and watch your fat storing body turn into a strong lean fat burning one. This is what is needed for a long disease free energetic life which is by far the best option.
