CAN WE TURN FAT INTO MUSCLE
Muscle can’t be converted into fat, nor fat into muscle. The two are completely different types of tissue. We can however transform our composition from being high fat, low muscle into low fat, high muscle.
Our body fat tissue is called adipose tissue, it contains our fat cells which are called adipocytes. It’s where we store energy as fat. Within the adipocytes we have the fat molecule triglyceride, which are fatty acids comprising carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
Muscle tissue is made up of amino acids which are the building blocks of protein. The muscle also holds a storage of glycogen (glucose storage for energy), creatine (used in energy production, muscle strength, muscle recovery and brain health), water (needed for cell functioning and muscle contraction) and intramuscular fat (needed for energy production). Amino acids consist of predominantly carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur.
Fat is completely different in structure to muscle and lacks the element nitrogen that is found in the muscle (proteins/amino acids) and there exists no mechanism in the body to rebuild or transition fat into muscle.
As we reduce body fat, the fat in our fat cells is taken and used for producing energy. If our nutrition plan is correct and we are strength training we will preserve muscle and our body won’t break down the muscle to use for additional energy.
By incorporating resistance training into our regime we improve and increase our muscle tissue, it’s health, quantity, density and load resilience. Our body fat is used to give us energy to carry out the strength training and to enable the repair and rebuilding of the muscle afterwards. The protein we consume also aids in the recovery and rebuilding of the muscle as the tissue goes through repair after weight lifting. The body needs fuel to carry out this process so it uses either body fat or carbohydrate storages depending on the structure of how we eat.
Resistance training both reduces body fat and increases muscle. Although both are two entirely separate processes both will occur from the same physical demand of exercise. As to how much of each process occurs, is dependant on the quality of our nutrition and the structure, frequency and demand of our training. Plus the additional variables of rest, recovery, stress and overall body health.
But remember, transforming your body composition won’t occur overnight, and you want it to be sustainable and permanent. So be patient, follow your plan, be consistent, and you’ll see weekly results that become life changing and permanent.