Have you heard the myth that says once you stop working out, your muscles will turn to fat? How true is this myth? Let us find out. Let us begin by defining and differentiating muscles and fats.
Muscles are tissues. They help in burning the calories in your body and they work even when your body is at rest or at sleep. This is the reason why a lot of bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts value rest because it is when the muscles work best. Of course, the more you move your muscles, the more calories you will burn.
Fats are storage of energy. Your body does not use up all the calories and energy that you get from the food you eat. It saves and stores some on fat cells for future use. The more you live an inactive lifestyle, the more fats you will have because the body will just store much of it. If you want to have a fitter body, you should exercise more in order for you to use up the excess fats stored. Body fat, however, is very important for the body if it is kept regulated. It serves as a shock absorber for organs and it helps in warming up the body during the cold winter nights.
Do you see the difference between them? You should realize by now that muscles and fats are two completely different things. Yes, they are both inside the body and they are both related to exercise. However, they have different forms and functions. Therefore, it is impossible that one of them will turn into the other. Whoever spread that myth does not understand the structure of these two body components.
While it is not true that muscles turn to fat, it is true that you will become fat once you neglect exercise. This is because your muscles are not being toned when you do not move your body. Toning the muscles is very important for burning calories and for making your body look fit. If you don't exercise, your muscles will have a flabby appearance - which many people mistake as fats.
It is also important to understand why the muscles become bigger when you workout and becomes a bit smaller when you don't. Here's the idea. When you exercise, your muscles are producing more filaments. These filaments are produced by the body to accommodate the pressure from the outside. However, you should keep in mind that you are not getting more muscle cells. When you stop exercising regularly, the body thinks that you do not need extra filaments anymore therefore the muscles will start to shrink. When they shrink, you may think that they become fats. No. They just simply lose the extra filaments because they serve no purpose anymore. Therefore, if you want to keep your muscles big and strong, you should do something that will trigger the body to produce more ligaments and expand the muscle cells. You should also decrease your body fat percentage to successfully highlight the healthy muscles in your body.