What is the point of getting muscle if it burns so few calories?

Options
I heard that a pound of muscle only burns 5 calories a day. So what is the point of getting muscle then?
«134

Replies

  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    edited September 2015
    Options
    Because you look and feel better when you are strong and healthy?
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    Options
    I would hope, if you built muscle, it would be more than one pound of it. :#B)o:)
  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
    Options
    For the GAINZ

    hqdefault.jpg
  • melodicraven
    melodicraven Posts: 83 Member
    Options
    For the GAINZ

    hqdefault.jpg

    Oh I'm dying. That's hilarious. :D
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Options
    Physical appearance, personal achievement, vanity, GAINZ.
  • cwilso37
    cwilso37 Posts: 79 Member
    Options
    If I remember correctly, fat burns 5-6 calories where as muscle burns roughly 9 calories (a lb per day). So having muscle is better in that sense.

    Though that isn't the main reason that most people obtain muscle. It is to feel better, look better, and or pick up heavier things. I like my muscles, because I worked hard for them during my 33 year bulking period.
  • NoIdea101NoIdea
    NoIdea101NoIdea Posts: 659 Member
    Options
    Because you can still be skinny and walk around with your fat jiggling around like a waterbed every time you move. Doesn't matter how skinny you are to me, that's still not a look I would want. Firm and powerful all the way for me.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    Options
    For me? It's all about protecting my bones and bad joints. I want to be a strong middle aged woman and then a strong older woman. I don't want to be frail.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,658 Member
    Options
    I always thought the extra calorie burn from muscle was a nice bonus, not a justification in and of itself.

    Do people really think, "What, 5-6 calories a day per pound? Screw that, I don't want muscle."
  • ExRelaySprinter
    ExRelaySprinter Posts: 874 Member
    Options
    For me? It's all about protecting my bones and bad joints. I want to be a strong middle aged woman and then a strong older woman. I don't want to be frail.

    Exactly this^^.
    Also, having muscle on the body looks much better than having fat.
  • dhimaan
    dhimaan Posts: 774 Member
    Options
    cwilso37 wrote: »
    If I remember correctly, fat burns 5-6 calories where as muscle burns roughly 9 calories (a lb per day). So having muscle is better in that sense.

    Though that isn't the main reason that most people obtain muscle. It is to feel better, look better, and or pick up heavier things. I like my muscles, because I worked hard for them during my 33 year bulking period.

    You on that forever dreamer bulk.

  • OsricTheKnight
    OsricTheKnight Posts: 340 Member
    Options
    I heard that a pound of muscle only burns 5 calories a day. So what is the point of getting muscle then?

    You can weigh your target weight and still feel and look flabby if you have no muscle. Building some muscle will give you the look you want.

    Say what you will about crossfit, there are an enormous number of pictures and videos of crossfit enthusiasts of both genders who look excellent. Not overbuilt crazy muscle, just fit and strong. Sure, some of the men look like bodybuilders and some of the women have overdone it but for the most part crossfit maniacs look like really healthy, really lean normal people. You can't look like them at their weight without muscle. (I'm not saying do crossfit; I'm saying muscle has a point for appearance.)

    Aside from appearance a moderate amount of muscle is good for any gender. Surprisingly Dr Kenneth Cooper's simple formula for target body weight will give you a very reasonable goal weight (that does require some exercise). For men, your height in inches * 4 - 128; for women, height in inches * 3.5 - 108. Of course a fat percentage scale will do a better job than this but it gives you a target.

    Osric
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,658 Member
    edited September 2015
    Options
    Aside from appearance a moderate amount of muscle is good for any gender. Surprisingly Dr Kenneth Cooper's simple formula for target body weight will give you a very reasonable goal weight (that does require some exercise). For men, your height in inches * 4 - 128; for women, height in inches * 3.5 - 108. Of course a fat percentage scale will do a better job than this but it gives you a target.

    Osric
    6'9", 196 doesn't seem reasonable to me, especially if we're talking about having any muscle above baseline.

    Zero percent body fat would have me less than 10 pounds under that number.

  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    Options
    I heard that a pound of muscle only burns 5 calories a day. So what is the point of getting muscle then?

    You can weigh your target weight and still feel and look flabby if you have no muscle. Building some muscle will give you the look you want.

    Say what you will about crossfit, there are an enormous number of pictures and videos of crossfit enthusiasts of both genders who look excellent. Not overbuilt crazy muscle, just fit and strong. Sure, some of the men look like bodybuilders and some of the women have overdone it but for the most part crossfit maniacs look like really healthy, really lean normal people. You can't look like them at their weight without muscle. (I'm not saying do crossfit; I'm saying muscle has a point for appearance.)

    Aside from appearance a moderate amount of muscle is good for any gender. Surprisingly Dr Kenneth Cooper's simple formula for target body weight will give you a very reasonable goal weight (that does require some exercise). For men, your height in inches * 4 - 128; for women, height in inches * 3.5 - 108. Of course a fat percentage scale will do a better job than this but it gives you a target.

    Osric

    Yikes, that would put me at 12% body fat at my current lean mass.
  • Ironmaiden4life
    Ironmaiden4life Posts: 422 Member
    Options
    Why? cos strong is the new sexy!!!!! and you can carry all your grocery bags from the car to the house in 1 trip :D
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    Options
    For me? It's all about protecting my bones and bad joints. I want to be a strong middle aged woman and then a strong older woman. I don't want to be frail.

    Allll thisssss. I wish I would have started in my 20's.

  • sodapoppin28
    sodapoppin28 Posts: 66 Member
    Options
    Chicks dig muscles
  • OsricTheKnight
    OsricTheKnight Posts: 340 Member
    Options
    6'9", 196 doesn't seem reasonable to me, especially if we're talking about having any muscle above baseline.

    I found his formula surprising because it works for so many people, but 6'9" is well above the 95th percentile of 6'2" so very few people are in that boat. 6'2" which is the 95th percentile works out to 168lbs, which according to this article is in the average range for medium frame male, very top end for small frame, and 4lb under the low end of large frame - pretty good for a 95th percentile outlier height.

    Osric
  • OsricTheKnight
    OsricTheKnight Posts: 340 Member
    Options
    WBB55 wrote: »
    Yikes, that would put me at 12% body fat at my current lean mass.

    Sure, but it looks like you still have about 18lb to go, and most likely as you lose that 18lb you'll lose 3-6lb of lean mass. For me, if I held my lean mass constant I'd have 0% body fat at my target weight, but that's not worth worrying about as it's essentially impossible not to lose some lean mass along with fat mass.

    Osric
  • OsricTheKnight
    OsricTheKnight Posts: 340 Member
    Options
    LBM aside, that formula puts my goal weight at a BMI of 19, which is borderline underweight and not the look I'm going for.

    Well your photos show that you're an awesome success story so who am I to argue with that :-)

    As my 12 year old said looking over my shoulder as I was writing this reply "Now that really looks nice - she's made a really good change".

    Osric