How does more muscle mass increase your metabolism?
In: Biology
Muscles are made of living cells. Cells need energy to live. Even when they’re not actively moving the muscle, those cells still need to be burning fuel to stay alive, like any other cell in your body does.
So if you have more, bigger muscle cells in your body, then the body needs to burn more calories just keeping them alive every day, even when you’re sitting on the couch.
That’s what “a faster metabolism” is.
think of your metabolism as an engine…they heavier the vehicle the harder that engine needs to work to maintain the same speed. Same with your metabolism. It takes a lot more energy to mover more mass (and to keep it in shape) vs being sedentary, all fat using no calories to sit around all day.
Muscles require energy to maintain their size and strength. That energy comes from the calories you eat and drink, almost entirely. (Also from burning stored fat, which came from previous cals ingested, to be clear)
Small/weak muscles require fewer calories. Larger stronger muscles require more.
Your “metabolism” is just how much energy you naturally consume, in total. So if you have larger muscles and they require more calories to function and maintain, then boom! Your metabolism just went up! Your muscles are “eating” more of that energy naturally each day
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