Hypertrophy Hype

My name is Heidi Pasch, and I am a personal trainer and metabolic conditioning specialist. 

Society needs to reevaluate the "calories in, calories out" concept by unraveling the myth and focusing on hypertrophy, also known as building muscle mass.

Food deprivation and weight loss have historically been the pinnacle of diet culture. However, not all weight loss is good. While studying Exercise Science at the University of California, I gained a deep understanding of metabolism. We are not robots with a set metabolism. Our metabolisms are constantly in flux. What we do, what we eat, and how often we fuel ourselves change our metabolic rate. Under-eating reduces our basal metabolic rate, an essential adaptation for our bodies' survival. However, humans cannot thrive in a state of constant survival mode. High physical and cognitive performance requires both fuel and training your body to be fuel-efficient by increasing your muscle mass.

What happens to your body when you gain muscle? 

First and foremost, you increase your resting metabolic rate. The number of calories your body requires to maintain itself at rest is higher, allowing for occasional treats and fun foods without an increase in fat mass.

Gaining muscle improves aesthetics. If our bodies were Russian dolls, the innermost doll would be bone, the second doll would be muscle, the third would be fat, and the fourth outermost doll would be skin. Increased muscle reduces the appearance of cellulite by giving adipose tissue (fat) a smooth surface to rest on.

Increased muscle mass can reduce and/or eliminate joint pain when training for efficient movement patterns. Muscle mass can even offset the deterioration of osteoarthritis in joints.

Increasing your muscle mass also increases your bone density. Decades of diet cycling contribute to bone demineralization, osteopenia, a hunched back, and eventually osteoporosis. Women are particularly at risk for these health issues during and after menopause. Prevention begins with maintaining muscle mass and increasing bone density before menopause starts.

If I'm losing the younger population with a discussion of osteoarthritis and menopause, don't worry. You'll get there eventually, too. In the meantime, I'll come back to aesthetics. Outkast wrote an entire song supporting the idea that quality movement patterns are aesthetically pleasing in "The Way You Move" (2003). Increased muscle mass enhances both your posture and the quality of your movement. Your quality of movement contributes to the quality of your life.

Increased muscle mass is associated with higher cognitive function, while individuals with smaller skeletal muscles are more likely to develop dementia. While this particular positive byproduct of hypertrophy is outside my scope of practice, it is well-known and noteworthy.

Sarcopenia & Cognitive Function

Let’s acquire that coveted muscle, and schedule a consultation with me!