The process by which the human body utilizes calories to build muscle is a very complex one, and can be extraordinarily confusing to the layperson. This is because of the fact that, at its deepest layers, this subject requires that the reader understand physiological jargon and technical language that is beyond most individuals, with the exception of medical professionals and some scientists.
Luckily, however, the average individual doesn’t really want to learn about the intricate chemical processes by which muscle is created in the body. Instead, what we really want to know is how the basic process works. In order to do this via most efficient means available, I will use an analogy.
Picture that the human body is an airplane. In order for it to function properly, there are many, many different circumstances that have to be exactly right. For instance, just as the plane needs proper wind conditions to fly, the human body cannot function properly unless its climate maintains the right temperature. Just as a plane’s engine will not work without oil for lubrication, a human being will die without a sufficient quantity of water intake.
And, just as an airplane can not function properly without fuel, so the human body fails unless it receives enough of its own fuel, food. While a plane’s fuel would be measured in gallons, or liters, we measure the fuel that the human body needs in the form of calories. A calorie is a unit of energy, which is technically referred to as a kilocalorie, but that is really neither here nor there. What is important to remember, though, is the fact that calories represent a form of stored energy just as gasoline does.
So, the plane burns its gasoline in order to produce energy to move, and the body burns its calories in order to do the same thing. But, not all fuels are equal. If you put the wrong kind of fuel into a plane, it either won’t run, will slowly break down, or will explode. This follows in humans. If you don’t eat the right kind of calories, your body will either cease to function at all or will slowly break down.
This is why it is important to eat the right mixture of calories, like the caloric intake system recommended by the FDA.
Essentially, then, with this background, we can discover the key to how the body uses calories to build muscle tissue. Any work that the body does, whatsoever, requires that it use some of its fuel (calories). Every time your heart beats, you body uses calories, in the form of burned glucose, to make it happen. So, when a person works out, the body needs calories to get itself through the workout. This is why exercise burns calories.
Likewise, after the body’s muscles are damaged during the exercise process, they need to be repaired. This cannot be accomplished unless the body has a sufficient caloric reserve. So, unless you’re eating enough calories, the damage that you do to your muscles will actually become a negative thing, and you will ultimately lose muscle mass or remain static.
Similarly, after the body has used calories to repair you damaged muscles, it then goes further to build new muscle. In order to do so, once again, it requires calories. That is why professional athletes and body builders typically eat far more calories per day than the average human being. They need those calories to maintain their muscle mass. In fact, every pound of lean muscle mass that a grown man maintains on his body requires 50 calories per day in order to be maintained.
In the end, then, the previous analogy is probably the best thing to keep in mind when thinking about calories and muscle gain. Our body’s need fuel to function properly, but remember, the type of fuel that is used determines how well the machine works. If you want to build muscle, eat a high-protein, moderate fat, moderate carbohydrate diet and make sure that you are getting enough calories and enough exercise. Everything else will follow from there.
