[MoragMunch]

I am sure that we all know that the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn.

Today, while shopping online for a new scale, I came across this info listed on one of the packages:

For every pound of muscle gained, your body burns an extra 50 calories per day!!

So if you add two pounds of muscle, you burn 100 calories a day. That equals a burn of 10 to 12 lbs of fat every year.

[chick_in_the_hat]

A pound of muscle also takes up WAY less space than a pound of fat.

[Heather]

Yep! Those are the numbers I've heard! That's one of the many reasons to love weight lifting!

[lumifan4ever]

wow, i'd better get back to weightlifting then!!!

[Meg]

The scale package almost had it right ... we burn 50 calories per kilo (2.2 pounds) of lean body mass (water, blood, bone, skin, hair and muscle).

Adding muscle is the only way I know of to increase our metabolisms!

[Tealeaf]

Really Meg? I was under the impression that just exercising could do that. At least in the short run, say 8 - 10 hours after you are done. I sure hope so. I walk 3 1/2 miles four to five times a week, up a street with several steep hills. I don't think I build much in the way of muscles, but I'd like to think I'm doing some good.

[Meg]

Tealeaf, you definitely continue to burn more calories after strenuous exercise. It's called EPOC - excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. So you're right, a good exercise session will keep your metabolism running high for hours afterwards.

Did you know that you get the highest EPOC with interval training? That's when you add in high intensity bursts to moderate intensity exercise. It's like adding in 1 minute sprints when you're jogging or cranking up the resistance on the elliptical for a minute or two, then dropping back and recovering. I think the steep hills on your walk are your intervals and I bet your heart rate is really high when you reach the top!!

When I said that muscle is the only way I know to increase your metabolism, I was only thinking of resting metabolism. Thanks for pointing out that exercise also temporarily increases metabolism too.

The big advantage of adding muscle is that you're burning more calories 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, awake or asleep. And that really can add up! I like the idea of my muscles doing the work for me, even sitting here at the computer.

[wateraddict]

ah, I love coming here! Learn something everyday lol.

[Kilketay]

I recently read an article that said that the 50-100 calories a day number is a myth: http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/news/cals.htm It burns 6 calories per pound of muscle, per day. I don't know if he has all the answers, but he did refer to some solid scientific studies. His argument makes sense.