Research shows exercise alone is of limited value as a weight-loss strategy. In one of the latest studies in women, even substantial increases in exercise alone were not enough to produce weight loss. To lose weight, the exercise had to be coupled with a reduced intake of calories. In contrast, men were able to lose weight through increased exercise alone. This difference might be because the men were able to burn more calories in exercise than women, or it might reflect some metabolic difference in how men and women respond to exercise. We at the Hunger Free Forever program think we know the real answer to this riddle. It has to do with muscle mass. The ability to lose weight with exercise is a direct reflection of a person&aposs muscle mass. Since men have a larger muscle mass than women, the effect of exercise alone as a weight-loss strategy is more apparent in men.
The more muscle mass that you have, the more fat you burn. Muscle mass is the primary fat-burning furnace in the body A muscle cell burns as much as fifteen times more calories per day than a fat cell. The importance of building muscle mass for effective weight loss cannot be overstated. Likewise, muscle mass is the primary factor that will determine how quickly you can lose weight even if you are carefully following a sensible weight-loss plan. Low muscle mass is a primary reason why many people hit a plateau at some point during a weight-loss program.
For these reasons, radical diets that result in significant loss of muscle need to be avoided at all costs. They may work in the short run, but they set you up for failure later on. Instead, it is vital that you follow a plan that avoids loss of muscle while you lose weight. The Hunger Free Forever program has been shown to preserve muscle mass while you lose weight. Most of the patients increase their lean muscle mass and end up with no decrease (in fact, often an increase) in their resting metabolic rate at the end of the program. The fact is that increasing your muscle mass is one of the best ways to ensure that you can keep your weight off over the long haul without having to endure hunger or feel deprived of the joy of eating.
