The Magic of Muscle: Unlocking Weight Loss Success

by Amanda Jane Snyder

The Magic Pill for Weight LossPhoto byAmanda Jane Snyder

The Magic Pill for Weight Loss

If you speak to fitness experts, most will say, there's "no magic pill". Alluding to the idea that there is no quick fix to weight loss. Nothing you can do, or take, or implement will give you immediate success or results. This is the case for weight loss, or really ANY fitness goal and even non-fitness goals. You can't take the elevator to success, you must take the stairs.

In today's modern society where we are bombarded with instant gratification from social media and streaming services, we're spoiled for an instant boost of dopamine. It's no wonder we crave that in other areas of our life, including weight loss goals. We want results and we want them now! Fitness goals can be tricky for the brain in that way. We work out NOW, we avoid certain foods NOW, we do the hard thing NOW without the promise of any reward until far into the future. We don't reap the benefits of our hard work until much later. And that's part of what makes it so hard to show up day after day. There really is no immediate aesthetic benefit. The immediate benefits come from other, smaller, wins. The mental benefits of accomplishing a goal, those exercise endorphins, possibly social benefits if we enjoy working out in a group.

What if I told you that there might actually be a magic pill. There is ONE thing that I recommend to everyone that has a huge impact on our overall health, metabolism, qaulity of life, and our physique. And no, it's not Ozempic. We can chat about that magic pill another time. Regardless of a person's goal, I always recommend this, without fail.

So what is this magic pill? Muscle.

Skeletal muscle mass is the magic pill because regardless of your goal, having more muscle on your frame is going to get you there faster. At risk of falling? Skeletal muscle mass can prevent that. Want to lose fat? The more muscle mass you have, the better your body is at burning fat. Want to reduce risk for disease? Skeletal muscle mass improves insulin sensitvity and can support immune function.

There's so much that skeletal muscle mass can do for you, but let's breakdown just exactly how it helps you to lose weight.

Faster Metabolism

The more muscle one has, the higher their basal metabolic rate (BMR). What does that mean? It means your body burns more calories while rest. Yes, you can burn more calories even while netflix and chilling, simply by having more muscle on your frame. Muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue. This means muscles require more energy (calories) to maintain themselves, even when you're not exercising. As muscle mass increases, your BMR increases, leading to more calories burned throughout the day, including those from fat stores. More muscle, more fat burn!

24 Hour Burn

The act of building muscle alone also requires more energy. Resistance training during a workout and after, can increase your energy expenditure more than cardio alone. The reason? Resistance training creates what's called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). This phenomenon leads to additional calorie burn as the body recovers, repairs, and builds muscle tissue, burning calories not just DURING the workout, but even 24 hours after completion.

Improved Insulin Sensitivity

Anyone with diabetes might be familiar with the importance of insulin sensitivity. The more sensitive, the more responsive your cells are to insulin which can help regulate blood sugar and reduce fat storage. Muscles absorb glucose more effeciently than fat cells.

So how can I get more muscle?

The most effective ways to increase skeletal muscle mass is by incorporating a resistance training routine into your schedule and by increasing protein intake! I always recommend aiming for 1g per pound of goal bodyweight in protein a day!

So now that you understand this "magic pill" and how it works, are you willing to take it?

Amanda Jane Snyder is a Certified Nutrition Coach, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Corrective Exercise Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer, and Mindset Coach living in Brooklyn, NY. She has been vegan since 2016. She specializes in Strength and Conditioning for Actors, Singers, and Dancers.