Lean muscle mass refers to the amount of muscle on your body after removing all fat and water weight. It's the pure, functional muscle that allows movement and athletic performance.
Some key points about lean muscle mass:
- Lean muscle is made up of muscle fibers that contract to create movement. More lean muscle allows greater strength and mobility.
- It excludes fat, water weight, bone, connective tissue, etc. Adding lean muscle increases metabolism which helps burn calories and fat.
- Muscle mass vs fat mass: Muscle takes less space than fat. More muscle makes you look toned rather than soft.
How to build lean muscle:
- Strength training with weights builds lean muscle. Challenging the muscles makes them larger and stronger.
- Eat enough protein - foods like chicken, fish, eggs, dairy have amino acids for muscle growth. Shoot for 0.5-1 gram per pound of body weight daily.
- Rest and recovery after training allows muscles to repair and get bigger. Get 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
Benefits of having more lean muscle:
- Increases metabolism - Muscle burns more calories than fat, helping manage weight.
- Supports functional strength for daily activities and exercise. Makes movements easier.
- Reduces injury risk by stabilizing joints and improving balance/coordination.
- Improves overall health and fitness - correlates to lower diabetes/heart disease risk.
- Enhances appearance - denser, firmer muscles with less fat look more toned. Clothes fit better.
Building lean muscle requires focused strength training, proper nutrition, and rest. But the investment pays off with improved function, health, metabolism, and aesthetics. Tracking progress with body measurements and before/after photos can help reveal meaningful lean muscle gains over time.