Can Body Fat Turn Into Muscle?

By: Josh Henkin

The simple answer is NO!! This is also one of the most common fitness myths that refuses to go away. Somewhere an "expert" promoted the idea that muscle can turn into fat and vice versa, more than likely this individual was trying to sell a product. It is very easy to understand the body is only capable of a couple of cosmetic changes. The body can lose or gain body fat, and/or, gain or lose muscle.

I constantly recieve emails about guys who can not gain muscle mass and women who gain muscle at alarming rates. The truth is somewhere in the middle here. Eveyone has a genetic potential to gain a certain amount of muscle, contrary to popular belief very few of us even come close to ever reaching this top level. Some obviously gain muscle a lot easier than others and some can lose body fat a lot easier than others. In either case, it comes back to training consistently and wisely along with being on a well planned nutritional program.

While I constantly state this point, it is much easier said than done. What makes for a smart training program varies person to person and goal to goal. I wish I could list a program that would work for everyone, but if I ever tried such a thing I would be more than selling my soul. The truth is there is a combination of trying varying methods of training and understanding basic strength training science. Nutrition seems to be much easier though, while many will respond to food differently there are some common guidelines:

1. Eat frequent meals (approx. 5-7 a day)
2. Eat plenty of vegetables, the greener the better
3. Eat some fruits as they have many fiber and anti-oxidant benefits
4. Stay away from highly processed and fast foods as they offer little nutritional benefits.
5. Obtain good fats from quality oils and nuts.
6. Eat lean meat sources, some of the best are eggs!

Sometimes we make things far too complicated. Until we reach relatively elite levels, the very basic principles will make a great deal of difference in our path to achieving our goals. I like to use the KISS (keep it simple stupid) method with many clients and sometimes need to remember the same ideas when it comes to myself.