Q: Does your metabolism speed up right after a weight-training session or does it take several sessions? Also how does building muscle assist in fat loss?
--Y.N.
A: When one weight trains effectively with sufficient overload, micro trauma is created in the muscle. This means it tears down and when it begins to rebuild, the body uses many resources to make this rebuilding a reality. One of the resources it uses is its own natural human growth hormone.
One of the beauties of human growth hormone is that it must access stored body fat to help repair the muscle. Therefore it uses fat in the process. The tearing down and rebuilding may take numerous sessions before one pound of pure muscle is added to the body. It depends on your nutrition, training, recuperation and stress levels. When it does take place, the additional pound of muscle makes the body burn an additional 30-50 calories per day meaning you've just increased your metabolic rate. If you eat excessively, your blood sugar will remain elevated and sabotage your efforts so nutrition is also an important component for success.
A drug-free competitive bodybuilder and 2005 winner of the prestigious WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) Pro Card, Raphael Calzadilla is a veteran of the health-and-fitness industry. He specializes in a holistic approach to body transformation, nutrition programs and personal training. He earned his B.A. in communications from Southern Connecticut State University and is certified as a personal trainer with ACE and APEX. In addition, he successfully completed the RTS1 program based on biomechanics.
Looking for more information? Join eDiets and visit Raphael's support group (Fitness for You) for interactive support! We all know fitness is a vital part of living a healthy lifestyle -- let Raphael and eDiets help you on your way!
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POSTED BY DIET & BODY AT 8:41 AM
