The ideal fitness goal for a regular gym goer is often to increase muscle mass and lose excess fat. With talks of how a pound of muscle could burn up to six calories, the only logical pathway is to increase muscle mass. However, Arnold Schwarzenegger had some observations on this theory, which he shared recently.
In his newsletter, he addressed this phenomenon of the link between increased muscle mass and burnt calories and clarified that it wasn’t entirely true. While there was no harm in growing one’s muscles, there was more nuance to the six-calorie theory.
The study on specific metabolic rates of significant organs during a resting phase hinted at this phenomenon. According to scientists, muscles should be able to burn calories during their rest phase but the total calories burned in a day are not set in stone.
Therefore, Schwarzenegger flagged the theory as mostly fiction, with a silent acknowledgement that he might have discouraged several fitness enthusiasts. But being a fan of consistency in workouts, the ever-encouraging star asked fans to not lose hope.
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“That said, don’t let the six calories deter you from having a better muscle-to-fat ratio. That six calories applies to each pound of muscle.”
Having more muscle carries many benefits for one’s physical and mental well-being. Schwarzenegger listed some of these positives, letting readers know that working out always leads to a win-win situation.
“…you can fight against disease, process and metabolize calories (and carbs), manage blood sugar and insulin, support healthier bones, and protect against age-related decline.”
Schwarzenegger’s community has always benefitted from his daily thoughts, observations, and fitness advice. He has often talked about the advantages of exercise for the brain and overall performance.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Deemed Exercise a sort of Magic Pill
It’s no secret that consistent exercise can bring about significant changes in one’s life and health quality. Whether it’s a direct boost to the brain’s functioning or one’s daily productivity, being active and practicing any form of exercise could help.
Schwarzenegger even clarified that this didn’t mean traditional exercises that one needed to visit the gym for. One could take up anything they preferred, whether it was dancing, yoga, walking, cycling, and so on. Any of these activities performed consistently over a certain time could eliminate depressive symptoms and improve physical health.
