I've got some pretty sweet facts for you today.

 

They have to do with your metabolism, and I just know at least one of them will leave you feeling empowered!

 

As I mentioned in the last email on metabolism, it's tempting to think of your metabolism as something you can "turn up" or "turn down," but the fact is, metabolism is a complicated process that happens in your cells. The chemical reactions in our body's cells are what changes food into energy. 

 

Random fact: the average person has 30 trillion cells! That's a lot of cells!

 

The biggest chunk of your calorie burn (aka your metabolism) happens just to keep you alive – it's known as your BMR, your basal metabolic rate. BMR can vary a LOT between people. 

 

Some things that impact your BMR are things you can't control – genetics, gender, weight, height, and more (we'll get into some of this later).

 

But there's actually a lot you CAN do to turn up your metabolism, and it has to do with your body composition. 

 

I like to think of these 'metabolic boosters' like compound interest ... it's not going to make you rich overnight, but it adds up in a big way over time!

 

Here it is …

 

Adding more Muscle to your body through LIFTING THE THINGS!!

 

You've probably heard or read me say this a million and one times that Muscle = metabolism. 

 

Muscle is metabolically active, which means you have to burn calories to maintain it.  Which also means you'll be burning more calories at rest. The more Muscle that you have, the STRONGER your metabolism will be.

 

Researchers estimate that every pound of Muscle we have, it burns about six calories a day while you're resting.

 

So, 10 pounds of fat would burn 20 calories a day, while 10 pounds of Muscle would burn 60. Not that impressive, right?! But it's still so helpful!

 

But over a year, 10 pounds of Muscle burns 21,900 calories (a little over 6 pounds), while 10 pounds of fat burns 7,300 calories in a year (around 2 pounds).

 

Not that the primary focus is calories, by any means. It's definitely not something to be neurotic about- chasing the calorie burn.  I just wanted to highlight the fact that having muscle on your frame is a game changer when it comes to your metabolism and how calorie burn happens.

 

 

And if you are wanting to drop body fat (i.e. less fat) having muscle on your frame allows for you to be able to eat more calories in a caloric deficit.

 

That means that lifting the things have a tremendous impact on your metabolism. 

 

It's a double whammy really, not only are you burning calories WHILE you're training, but you get a BONUS burn in the future as you build Muscle and while at rest! AND, if you’re trying to drop body fat you have a better chance at preserving that hard-earned muscle. Pretty sweet deal, right?

 

Beyond your training, getting enough protein to help build, repair, and maintain your Muscle is essential. 

 

Want to get even MORE specific with protein requirements?

 

Nutritional recommendations for protein intake lie around .7g to 1 gram per pound of bodyweight if you want to build and maintain Muscle!

 

Whelp, that's that for now. I hope this was helpful. I can't stress the importance of strength training and eating enough protein. It does wonders for your mind and body!

 

If you need help figuring out a nutrition plan for yourself, I can help! I'd love for you to book a STRONGER You Connection call where we can look at what's going well and what's not going so well. And then, from there, come up with a plan that will work for YOU. Book your call here!

 

Have a beautiful day!

 

In Strength

Xo

Candace