The lean and fat masses are then divided. For one to gain weight in a healthy manner, he or she should increase the former and reduce or maintain the latter. To lose weight healthily, the focus would be on reducing fat mass.
Knowledge of what is lean or fat mass is vital to quality life and not to indulge in crazy diets , for example, for weight loss or gain. On the other hand, keeping track of the subject matter can allow you to gain much from physical exercise .
With this in mind, we have prepared this content to clarify the main doubts surrounding lean mass. Continue reading and discover its importance, how to achieve it and much more!
What is lean mass?
Lean mass refers to everything that makes up our body and is not made up of fat . This is the case for muscle mass, skin, internal organs, fluids, etc. This means that very muscular people can be heavy due to the greater formation of lean mass instead of fat.
Likewise, it is possible to increase your weight on the scale due to a greater accumulation of fat, and not due to lean mass, which is not a healthy situation. Knowing how to differentiate between these aspects is essential to maintain your health and seek better habits in your routine.
Why is having lean mass important?
As we have seen, raising lean mass rather than fat mass is healthier. For this reason, accumulating body fat — through eating fatty foods coupled with a sedentary lifestyle — increases the risk of a series of diseases. Such diseases include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, among many others.
It can even be worse when the fat accumulates in some parts of the body, like the abdominal area. Here, the concentration of fat makes it hard for blood to flow through the veins; this may lead to stroke and heart attack.
Meanwhile, increasing lean mass is healthier. In fact, you already understand that muscle mass is part of it. So, it is important for providing muscle strengthening, disease prevention, mental health care and much more.
Furthermore, lean mass is especially important in old age , since bone loss is natural at this age. Therefore, developing it is useful for people to have a healthier old age. However, it is important to know that building more lean mass during youth forms reserves for old age. Therefore, start early.
How to gain lean mass?
You already understand the main benefits of lean mass. Now, it’s time to find out how to achieve it. Follow the tips below!
Exercise slowly
As we have seen, exercising develops muscle mass, which makes up lean mass. Therefore, it is essential to practice these activities regularly. To maximize results, it is recommended to exercise slowly.
Don’t stop exercising as soon as pain appears.
It is natural for the body to feel a certain level of pain during physical exercise. However, it is important to resist and continue doing them.
However, don’t take this recommendation literally, okay? If the pain is too intense, you may be overexerting your body . Also, pay attention to whether the physical discomfort has arisen in a joint or muscle that is not directly related to the exercise you are doing. In these cases, it is important to stop exercising to avoid injury.
Adopt a healthy diet
As the case has mentioned, an insufficient diet, like a diet high in fat and carbohydrates, is responsible for the increase of body fat. Conversely, it is possible to reduce body fat with a proper diet as opposite to that situation, which enhances physical performance while exercising.
This is the case of a diet rich in protein, found in eggs, chicken, red meat, cheese , etc. These foods are also useful for aiding the recovery of your muscles and burning of the fats. Beyond proteins, eat carbohydrates and good fats, found in avocado, flaxseed, salmon, beans, etc.
Sleep well
Quality sleep is also essential for gaining lean mass. After all, if the body does not get enough rest, it reduces muscle strength and performance during physical exercise. Furthermore, there is a stage of sleep in which hormones important for the production of proteins, which are allies of lean mass, occur.
So, aim to get around 8 hours of sleep every day. This can be difficult if you always go to bed with your cell phone and other electronic devices nearby. So, remember to put these devices aside for a while so that sleep comes more easily.
Don’t skip meals
In addition to proper eating, not skipping meals is also crucial in preventing fasting for a longer period of time. When this happens, it is normal for the body to feel hungrier and overcompensate at the next meal. Thus, calorie intake is excessive and results in fat accumulation.
Additionally, people crave fatty and unhealthy foods during fasting. That makes another significant reason why you should not skip meals, especially breakfast, pre-workout and post-workout, when people need more energy.