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|  | | "Most support the view that resistance exercise does accelerate your metabolism, but speculations exist..." |
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Most personal trainers and fitness professionals would agree that resistance training is essential to a well-rounded exercise program for healthy active individuals. The fitness, medical and musculoskeletal benefits of resistance training are certain, but speculation exists as to whether resistance exercise can truly accelerate a slowing metabolism or provide substantial success to a weight loss intervention. Firstly, let's take a look at what is metabolism.
Metabolism 101: Basics and Terms
Human metabolism represents the sum total of the living cells' energy producing and energy utilizing reactions. Our daily "burning" of energy is termed as Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and is consisted of three components.
Muscles and Protein affecting Resting Metabolic Rate... Our muscles alone is almost 40% of the adult human body weight. They are influenced by genetics, physical activity, nutrition, hormones, disease and trauma (Rasmussen and Phillips, 2003). Muscles are mostly made of proteins. Resistance training promotes gain in muscle mass over an extended period of time, when muscle growth has to exceeded muscle breakdown. The process of protein coming together and protein breakdown account for approximately 20% of RMR (Rasmussen and Phillips 2003). Protein synthesis is additionally stimulated by a high amino acid supply, which is regulated by anabolic hormones (growth hormone, insulin-like growth factors, and testosterone).
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|  | | "Our muscles alone is almost 40% of the adult human body weight and they contribute to your resting metabolic rate." |
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Is the Metabolic Rate of Muscle Tissue is really high?
Muscle has a key contribution to resting metabolic rate (RMR) but its estimated metabolic rate is much less than has been advertised in the consumer media and by many who are ill-informed. In fact, scientific estimation of the metabolic rate of muscle is about 10 to 15 kcal/kg per day (Elia 1992). Muscle tissue contributes approximately 20% to TDEE versus 5% for fat tissue (for individuals with about 20% body fat). Whereas the combined energy expenditure of the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain and liver
represent approximately 80% of the TDEE (Elia 1992).
How Much Can Resistance Exercise Programs Really Effect Metabolism?
Majority of peer-reviewed resistance training studies (lasting from 8 to 52 weeks) show increases of 2.2 to 4.5 lbs of muscle mass (1). Therefore, the 4.5 lbs of muscle mass would increase the resting metabolic rate by about 50 kilocalories per day, as newly growth muscles will need energy to maintain itself at rest and during exercise. This small change does help to incease energy expenditure to give you a negative energy balance, which is good news for weight management.  Perhaps another significant benefits of resistance training during reduced-calorie intake, is that it helps to prevent the loss of muscle mass (1).
Conclusion
Resistance training does aid in increasing your metabolic rate and also helps to prevent the loss of muscle mass. Therefore it is appropriate to share but not overly exaggerate, that more muscle creates a higher demand for energy. As muscle will need to maintain itself when you rest and exercise. According to research up to date, suggests that the addition of exercise programmes to careful dietary restriction can promote more favourable changes in body composition than diet or physical activity on its own. (Stiegler & Cunliffe 2006)
Additional References:
(1) - Donnelly, J.E., Jakicic, J.M., Pronk, N., Smith, B.K., Kirk, E.P., Jacobsen, D.J. & Washburn, R., 2003 |
