Lean muscle mass is an important concept for anyone looking to improve their physique and overall health. In simple terms, lean muscle mass refers to the amount of muscle on your body after subtracting body fat. Having more lean muscle provides many benefits:
- Increased basal metabolic rate - More muscle means you burn more calories even at rest. This makes it easier to maintain a healthy weight and body composition.
- Improved insulin sensitivity - Muscle is a metabolically active tissue that helps regulate blood sugar levels. More muscle can lower insulin resistance.
- Stronger bones - The mechanical force of muscle contractions stimulates bone growth and strength. More muscle protects against osteoporosis.
- Injury prevention - Stronger muscles help support joints and reduce injury risk from falls or overuse. This is especially important as we age.
- Athletic performance - Greater muscle mass translates into increased speed, power, and endurance. This boosts performance in sports and activities.
So how do you build lean muscle mass? There are a few key strategies:
- Strength training - Lifting weights provides the mechanical overload and resistance needed to stimulate muscle growth. Aim for 2-4 sessions per week.
- Nutrition - Consuming enough protein (0.5-0.8 g per pound of body weight daily) gives muscles the amino acids they need to repair and rebuild.
- Progressive overload - Gradually increasing the weight, reps, and volume of your workouts forces continual muscle adaptation.
- Rest - Taking 1-2 rest days between sessions gives your muscles time to recover and grow.
- Sleep - Aiming for 7-9 hours per night enables your body to synthesize muscle protein and hormones.
Maximizing lean mass helps you look better, feel better, perform better, and live better. At Renew Hormones, our expert physicians use advanced testing and precise hormone therapy to help patients optimize muscle building. Our comprehensive approach addresses nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress, and hormonal balance for total body rejuvenation.