Everyone knows that muscle is much more attractive than fat. So when you lose weight, you want to build more muscle and not just diet to lose fat. But there are other health benefits to building muscle mass that should motivate you to hit the gym.

First of all, when you build muscle, you automatically reduce your percentage of body fat. And, you look better too. Muscle mass is approximately half as big as the mass of fat deposits.

That means that while five pounds of fat is approximately the size of three grapefruits, five pounds of muscle is more like three tangerines. Therefore, if you are exercising to lose weight, dont be surprised if you actually gain weight. This is not a bad thing! It means you are building muscle mass, and you will look much slimmer than before.

Other health benefits of building muscle mass include burning calories more quickly. Muscles use energy, fat just stores it. So when you have more muscles, you will burn more energy and maintain a healthy body weight more easily.

You do not have to build a lot of muscle mass to reap the benefits. Studies show that building only five pounds of muscle mass will make you healthier and more able to fight off disease. It doesnt take long to build muscle mass, either. Just thirty minutes three times a week is enough to reach your goals.

Lifting weights is the obvious way to build muscle mass, but swimming, running, or even walking will build muscle mass as well.