Lean muscle mass refers to the weight of your muscles without fat or water weight. Having more lean muscle is beneficial for strength, metabolism, and overall health.
When you strength train and eat enough protein, your body builds new muscle tissue. This helps increase your lean body mass - meaning more weight comes from metabolically active muscle instead of fat.
Here are some key benefits of building lean muscle:
- Increased metabolism - Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat, even at rest. More muscle raises your resting metabolism so you burn more calories 24/7.
- Improved strength - Lean muscle allows you to lift heavier weights and perform daily tasks with greater ease. This makes life easier and reduces injury risk.
- Fat loss - With a faster metabolism and ability to work out harder, adding lean muscle makes it easier to maintain a calorie deficit and lose fat.
- Hormone optimization - Lean muscle supports healthy hormone production, including testosterone and growth hormone. This fuels your performance and recovery.
Now you might wonder - how much lean muscle can I gain naturally? That depends on your genetics, age, gender, training status, and diet. But with focused strength training and enough protein (at least 0.5-1 gram per pound of body weight daily), most adults can gain
1-2 pounds of lean muscle per month at most.
Patience and consistency are key. Follow a progressive overload program, eat in a slight calorie surplus, and make sure you recover properly between workouts.
Consider having your hormone levels tested as well. Many adults deal with undiagnosed
low testosterone which hampers muscle building. The physicians at
Revive Hormone Institute offer complete hormone panels starting at just $99 to assess your health, then provide science-based treatment plans if your levels are suboptimal for your goals. Reach optimal lean muscle gains safely and legally with their help.