Muscle and Resting Metabolic Rate - Personal Trainer Community - Forum

[Christina]

If women cannot put on as much muscle as men, does strength training significantly affect a woman's rmr?

Christina

[standAPART]

Not sure exactly what you are trying to ask? Strength training affects EVERYONE's RMR...so does diet, activity, sleep patterns, occupation, and stress levels. Resting metabolic rate will be effected regardless of the gender--it is dependent on volume, frequency, and duration. Can you be more specific?

[Christina]

In the New Rules of Lifting for Women Lou Schuler addresses RMR and women. On page 22 he cites two studies. One study was done by Colorado State University that showed that RMR was still elevated 4.2% sixteen hours after lifting weights. (The study only had 7 subjects. All women obviously.) A University of Maryland study found no statistical increase in women's metabolic rates. They found that women only burned an extra 50 calories a day after 6 months of training. The men in the study increased their metabolic rates by 9%.

Lou concludes, "Women do seem to get a slight increase in metabolism from lifting. It's still in the neighborhood of just 50 calories a day, which isn't even a fifth of a Snicker's bar. But it shows that weights are doing something that probably won't happen with endurance exercise."

So it appears that strength training does not affect RMR equally in men and women. And I would assume that since muscle is metabolically active, and since women cannot add as much muscle as men, then that is why their RMR is not as affected.

I don't know... the more I read the more I grow confused about ALL of this...

[muscletrainerdh-NSCA CPT]

And then there's this study that says RMR does increase in Post-menapausal women!

http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/79/3/818

It is confusing, but I still think women who strive to put on muscle mass shoud ultimately be able to burn more calories at rest.

[Christina]

Thanks, Dave. If you ever run across any similar studies please post them to this thread. I am obviously very curious about this. And it doesn't have to be studies that conclude that RMR increases in women who lift weights. I am curious about all findings.

Here is one of the studies Lou was referring to:
http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/dept/coach...l81/lemmer.htm

Christina

[megfit]

Hi Christina,

I don't need to explain to you the different in hormones which can lead to women less likely to increase muscle mass. However, this does NOT mean they cannot increase muscle density!

Plus, this brings up the big discussion about that online article interviewing the three professionals, and I believe one of them discussed the benefits of cardio over weight training. From taking all the studies into account, and recalling from seminars, etc, it does seem consistent that we could say that, in the short-term, cardio will increase RMR for a longer period of time than weight training. However, when you consider the long-term effects/benefits of weight training, then you have an increase in all-time RMR. I call it the slow burn, vs a 'fast burn' from the cardio.

But, you know what: As I was just discussing with one of my online coaching gym clients yesterday, who is now SEEING the effects of her increased AND CONSISTENT workout. It's consistently challenging the body that will make the difference. Emphasis on two things, here: Consistency and challenge.
As simple as that.

As with all research, the key is to look at the trends that eventually evolve and take each individual study with a grain of salt. Stand back and look at the big picture and then the confusion will ease up a bit.

Margie