The higher the ratio of muscle tissue to fat, the faster the metabolic rate. Someone with more muscle and a high metabolic rate uses up more energy per minute and is less likely to store food energy as fat than a person with a lower metabolic rate. As we age, our basal metabolic rate becomes progressively slower. Consequently, we need about 2 percent fewer calories each passing decade to maintain the same body weight. And exercise helps speed the digestive process so fewer calories are absorbed.
Resistance exercises help replace flab with muscle.
Do not be fooled by the scale either. Even though muscle weighs more than fat, it is raising your metabolism, helping to tone and define your body, and improving your strength. The lower your daily caloric intake, the more slowly your metabolism runs because your body perceives it as a starvation threat. Only decrease your daily calorie count by 500 calories at most to safely lose one pound per week for greater long-term success. Some experts theorize that with each new diet, the body becomes better at conserving calories.