PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Many people who go on diets forget to continue to work hard to maintain muscle mass. As people cut calories, they watch their weight drop, but it is often at the expense of losing muscle.
There are several key points. First, weight loss should be gradual. If you slow down the diet a bit and take time to exercise to maintain muscle mass, you will also maintain body strength, which is important for overall health.
Remember, when you diet, you don't just lose fat. You can lose muscle if you don't work at preventing the loss. And the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn each day. Muscle mass actually helps you maintain a healthy body weight.
Get more medical reports from Dr. Brian McDonough.
KYW Newsradio's Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.
