Building muscle boosts your metabolism
Sep 28, 2023
Do you want a ‘high metabolism’ so you can burn more calories?
You need a lot of muscle.
And the only way to get to a lot of muscle is by:
- Eating enough food
- Lifting heavy weights
Today, we’re focusing on the food part.
Most women live in a caloric deficit. Socialized from their teen years to eat as little as possible, cut out fat, and focus on low-carb options.
But if you want to improve your metabolism (meaning eat MORE food without gaining excess weight), you’ve got to build muscle.
And you can ONLY do that when you’re eating in maintenance (or surplus-but that’s another convo).
So, how do you calculate your maintenance calories so you can build muscle to improve your metabolism?
BMR x Activity Factor = Calories Per Day
BMR = Basal Metabolic Rate – There are a TON of online calculators for this.
Activity Factor – Based off the activity you do on a regular basis
- Bed Rest = 1.0-1.1
- Sedentary = 1.2
- Light Exercise (1-3 days/week) = 1.3
- Moderate Exercise (3-5 days/week) = 1.5
- Heavy Exercise (6-7 days/week) = 1.7
- Very Heavy Exercise (2x/day, extra intense workouts) = 1.9
Most women fall in the ‘Light-Moderate’ range.
Once you’ve done the math, focus on actually eating what the ‘Calories Per Day’ calculation dictates. Even if it seems like too much.
Because it isn’t. Especially if you genuinely want to build lean muscle.
And if you want lean muscle, you’ve got to lift AND eat protein (at least 100g/day).
How do you feel about being in ‘maintenance’? Does it make you feel anxious? Do you love it?
Most women are pretty torn on the maintenance phase. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Tell me your opinion in the comments, or send me an email at [email protected]!
