Turning Fat into Muscle

The grass is not any greener on the other side. As a teenager, I had a chubby friend who said I was lucky to be so skinny. Of course, I laughed and said “Yea, but you can turn that fat into muscle. I can’t gain muscle no matter how hard I try!”

Many hardgainers mistakenly think you can turn fat into muscle. I’m sure this is nice to hear if you have a few extra pounds of blubber to dispose of, but the simple truth is it’s not biologically possible.

First of all, in order to burn fat, you need to burn more calories than you take in. In order to build muscle, you need a surplus of protein – one of the three macronutrients, along with carbohydrates and fat. While some genetically gifted and/or steroid using bodybuilders can do both at once, it is not optimal, and they are not “turning fat into muscle,” but merely losing fat while building muscle. Which brings us to the second pointâÂ?¦

The ONLY macronutrient that builds muscle is protein.

Carbohydrates are easy for the body to break down, and make the best source of energy. Fats, while more difficult to break down – and while containing twice the calories of carbohydrates and protein – are the best source of emergency energy after carbohydrate stores have been depleted. Protein, however, is not an ideal source of energy because A: it is difficult for the body to convert, and B: it would rob the body of the vital ingredients needed to build muscle. In other words, it doesn’t matter if you eat 10,000 calories a day, without enough protein you WILL NOT gain muscle. This is why most weight gainers on the market are crap! Unless you are skin and bones, and actually WANT to put on fat, it’s best to stick with a healthy diet of solid foods, supplemented with a few protein shakes each day. For a complete diet plan, you would want to consult a health and fitness expert or dietician.

Why the myth has been perpetuated

Most of it is probably based on wishful thinking, but there is also a perfectly valid explanation for the perpetuation of this myth. When you build muscle, you are also increasing your metabolism. While fat merely sits there on your body, like a spare tire waiting to be needed, muscle is always at work. Even when you are sitting on your ass watching The Simpsons, the more muscle you have, the more calories you are burning. Thus, when people who have not worked out in a long time get into the gym and start building that first round of glorious muscle, they also notice that their spare tire is getting smaller. This has nothing to do with turning fat into muscle. Rather, it has to do with the fact that they are burning more calories and probably eating better.

So don’t be jealous of your bigger friend as you both start hitting the gym or fitness center for the first time. Remember, he has to do two things – lose fat AND gain muscle – while you only have to concentrate on one – gaining muscle. If you want to leave him in the dust, all it takes is protein, protein, protein, along with just enough carbohydrates and fat to keep your body from using protein as an energy source.