Why You Should Be Building Muscle: The Health Benefits

Building muscle goes way beyond having a more toned body- did you know that having more muscle helps burn fat and keeps you in better mental health? Learn the many great benefits you can enjoy simply by gaining more muscle, and how you can help build muscle in your body- so you can enjoy the great health benefits as well!

When you build more muscle, you give your heart a healthy boost. How? Healthy muscle helps the heart pump better, and allows the heart to pump without needing to use as much oxygen. Plus, a healthy muscle mass (remember, the heart itself is a muscle as well) allows the heart to pump more effectively, reducing blood pressure and allowing the heart to take a breather.

Muscle burns more calories than fat does, so when you build more muscle in your body, you burn more fat overall. Having more muscle in your body also increases your metabolism as well, and allows you to work out longer, stronger. As you build muscle, you increase the oxygen going through your body as you work out, leading to healthier lungs and heart, which lets you be more active, longer.

Muscle protects your joints and your bones- when you have more muscle you rely less on your joints to move around, which means your back and your ankles are better protected. Building strong muscle when you work out creates a better foundation for your skeletal frame, which will benefit you later in life as well as right now.

When you build all that healthy muscle, you look and feel better, which gives you a mental boost like you wouldn't believe- when you feel great about yourself because you look great, you're less likely to be depressed, feel fatigued all the time, or to be less active. When you know you look good, you just plain feel good, and have the ability to focus more at work and at home.

Who knew that bulding muscle kept those nasty free radicals at bay? The more muscle mass you build, the better protection you have against free radicals, so it's all the more reason to get moving! Simply lifting small weights can make a huge difference (grab a couple soup cans and get pumping) and you can be well on your way to building great muscle mass!

See: Whey Protein: Best Protein for Rebuilding Muscle

Source:

http://www.rd.com/health