What Really Happens to Your Body as you Gain Muscle?

Answer 1

When you gain muscle, you’re doing much more for your body than you might realize.

Most people associate working out and building strong, solid muscles as gaining weight and although this might happen, there are a slew of other things going on. For instance, when you incorporate strength training into your work out routine, you’re giving your metabolism a big boost. Remember that muscle burns more calories than fat, so the more lean muscle your body has, the more calories you will burn on a whole no matter what you’re doing.

As your body gains muscle, you not only gain strength; you also gain health benefits such as the ability to keep your bones and joints healthy. Without strong muscles to support the body as you age, you run the risk of osteoporosis and injuries to your joints. Good muscle tone can help you with everything from fighting heart disease to protecting your joints from age related injuries.

Have you ever wondered why that woman who looks so thin and trim weighs a whopping 135 to 140 pounds, but her counterpart who weighs a dainty 120 pounds looks flubby and kind of, well, chubby? It’s because muscle weighs more than fat, so if you’re serious about gaining muscle, you might want to stop looking at the scale and start checking out your tape measure. Not only does muscle weigh more than fat, but it will also help you to burn up those pockets of cellulite a little bit more quickly. As muscles grow in the right places, it tends to smooth the skin and reduce the appearance of orange-peel skin that we all hate.

Lastly, if you’re still not sold on the idea of incorporating strength training into your routine, consider that when you gain muscle you can also help to prevent serious injuries to parts of the body such as the back. Making sure to keep arms, shoulders and core muscles strong can help to take a lot of the burden of daily life off the back and keep you from hurting it. You should also know that when you’re recovering from a back injury, talking to your health care professional or physical therapist about developing a routine to help you gain muscle can help you to heal more quickly than you thought.

Gaining muscle doesn’t mean that you have to get bulky like a Rugby player, either. Properly developed muscles will give your body a well defined, thin, trim look and keep you feeling healthy for much longer than if you just do cardio workouts. Isn’t it time to pick up those weights and see what working to gain muscle can do for you?