Muscle burns more calories ... but how many more?

As I mentioned in my last posting, I'm about to start Chalean Extreme (CLX), a much more weight-intensitve program than I've been doing. After doing a bunch of high intensity interval training and a summer of T25, it's time to build up some muscle.

One of the catch phrases of this program is "Muscle Burns Fat". I have no doubt that this is true at some level, but will it be enough to make a real difference in my metabolic rate? In my case it's pretty unlikely... have a look at these articles:

LA Times article by James S. Fell - Put down that Haagen-Dazs

LiveStrong article - Is it a myth that muscle burns more calories than fat?

Back in August 2013, I wrote a post on "Counting Calories - Where to Start?" It talks about how to calculate your basal metabolic rate - the amount of calories your body needs to maintain itself, without accounting for any additional exercise. My BMR is currently around 1,400 calories. I don't plan to lose weight during this round - I'd like to swap about 3-4 pounds of muscle for an equal amount of fat, and drop my body fat percentage by a couple of points. Unfortunately, I don't think that means I'll be able to add many calories to my daily intake.

Current research shows 1 pound of muscle burns 7-10 calories a day, while 1 pound of fat burns about 2-3 calories. As the LiveStrong article notes, if I gain 4 pounds of muscle, I'll only increase my BMR by around 15-20 calories. I'm sure I'll enjoy those 3 grapes immensely.

Now, if someone has a lot of weight to lose, dropping the fat and adding muscle will eventually make a huge difference in that person's metabolism. And there are plenty of reasons to incorporate strength training into a workout plan beyond an increased metabolism - it can dramatically improve physical appearance, decrease the likelihood of injury, lower the risk of osteoporosis, and improve your immune system.

But I need to remember - strength training is not a pass to start eating anything I want. And in fact, I'm concerned that my new program won't give me enough cardio work. So at the end of the day, it's up to me to make sure my fitness program is balanced and well-designed to help me achieve my goals.