In fact, some surgeons insist that their overweight patients lose weight before they will perform elective operations. Excess weight adds stress to your weight-bearing joints, worsening pain, stiffness and inflammation. If the number of calories you eat is greater than your energy needs, you'll gradually gain weight. Lean muscle mass is your fat-free body weight. Lean muscle helps you burn more calories, making weight control easier.
Exercise is the only proven method of increasing lean muscle tissue.
Eating well can help you control weight, but adding regular moderate physical activity is just as important. Even with arthritis, there are many activities to choose from which can help burn calories and increase muscle mass. Normal daily activities such as cleaning, shopping and doing laundry help burn calories too. Strengthening exercises, such as weight training, counteract muscle loss due to aging. The more active you are, the easier it is to maintain and even increase your muscle mass and keep a healthy weight.