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Conference rocks::weight_control

Title: Weight Loss and Maintenance
Notice:**PLEASE** enter notes in mixed case (CAPS ARE SHOUTING)!
Moderator:ASICS::LESLIE
Created:Mon Jul 09 1990
Last Modified:Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:933
Total number of notes:9931

123.0. "Fat <---> Muscle" by CADSE::SINGLEY (Darlene..Making Music ALL THE TIME!) Fri Oct 02 1987 11:16

    I have read that there is no such thing as turning muscle to fat
    or turning fat into muscle due to the very different composition
    of each.  They say that if you were muscular and gained fat weight
    that the fat would merely lay on top of the muscle.  You can, of
    course, lose muscle weight and tone, and gain more fat thus appearing
    to have turned muscle into fat.  What I'm wondering is if the
    reciprocle illusion is also true.  If I maintain a diet which should
    support my current weight and muscle-to-fat ratio, do NO aerobic
    exercise but rather weight training, will my body begin to "eat"
    itself (so to speak)?  I've heard it said (or have seen it written)
    that the only way to burn fat is by aerobic activity (sustained
    for at least 20 min. at ?? % of one's maximum heart rate for training)
    or by starvation.  Can simply increasing one's muscle weight (without
    necessarily raising the metabolism if that's possible)  be another
    way to lose fat?  Or maybe that is just another form of starvation
    since the body needs more calories than are actually being supplied.

    Anyone have any theories?
    
    D.
       

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123.1MY THOUGHTSCLOSUS::LAPIERREMon Oct 05 1987 13:2223
    
    From what I've learned, if you increase your muscle mass, you will
    increase your metabolism.  Due to the fact that you have increased
    your blood supply and veins, tissue, etc. in these muscle areas.
    
    Your body needs protein to build/maintain muscle (not an enormous amount
    either) and if you do not increase/maintain your protein (or fuel) your 
    body will turn to the muscles for food because it is already
    broken down into the simplest form of fuel as opposed to fat which
    is complex.
    
    So in the end, the muscles you have built up by weights will be
    used as fuel so you are defeating the purpose of lifting weights in 
    the first place.  (yes, it's another form of starvation)
    
    As far as losing weight without an aroebic activity, it can be done
    but in my opinion, is not the safest way.  While we build our biceps,
    what is building up our heart?  The only thing that can do that
    is to increase your heart rate.  Weights just don't get that rate
    going fast enough.
    
    Just another theory.... 

123.2work it offRIPPLE::BARR_TEFri Apr 06 1990 16:5413
    I agree with "My Thoughts".  There are fun aerobic acitivties. 
    Walking a 15 (or less) minute mile.  Walk for at least 45 minutes.
     I find the Stairmaster fun.  How about a tredmill, rowing machine,
    cross country ski machine, going for a bike ride, roller skating,
    running, tennis, racket/hand ball.  You don't need to take an aerobic
    class to get the benefits.  I do the stairmaster for 15-45 minutes,
    which gets my heart rate to it's maximum very quickly then do my
    weight training.  I lost 9 lbs in one month when I was stepping
    39-45 minutes per day.
    
    Good luck.
    

123.3Some info CSTEAM::BAKEREscalator Trolls!Fri Mar 19 1993 20:1127
    Muscle and Fat are two different things, entirely. You can gain or lose
    either. One can not become the other. In order to have muscles show,
    you can't have lots of fat on top of it. (i.e. those folks with
    "washboard abs" have little fat on their stomachs). Muscle DOES weigh
    more than fat, so if you were to LOSE fat and GAIN muscle at the same
    time, your measurements and body shape would change, but your weight
    may not.
    
    Aerobic exercise is the best way to lose weight, provided you are
    eating properly. Besides, your heart is the most important muscle you
    have, might as well keep it healthy! You shouldn't go above 85% of your
    heart rate (figured out with the formula below). Depending on how much
    you've been exercising and how intensly, you should keep your heart
    rate between 75-58% for 20 mins, 3 times a week.
    
    To figure your heart rate: 220 minus your age, multiplied by .75 and
    .85. That'll give you the heart rate for 1 minute. If you're taking
    your pulse for a shorter time (say 10 seconds), divide by 6.
    
    I'm 28, so: 220-28=192*.75=144/6=24, 192*.85=162/6=27. So, I should
    keep my heart rate between 24-27 beats (per 10 second pulse check).
    
    Once you go above the 85-90%, you stop burning fat and start burning
    muscle, which is the opposite of what you want to do!
    
    ~beth