When I was in my late teens and early 20s, I was obsessed with being BIG AND STRONG.
Problem was, I got kinda “thick ” in the process.
Here’s a pic of me at about 245lbs / 111kg in 1993, age 20:
The other problem was I went from running about a 6 minute mile weighing 165 pounds to huffing and puffing going upstairs in less than 4 years.
Similarly, America has gone from a 10% obesity rate to 40% obesity rate in 40 years.
And collectively, about 50% of the world’s population is now carrying excess fat .
So, how do you reconcile the desire to be a “ muscular / powerful guy ” with the current reality that your current size isn’t all muscle?
How do you peel off unwanted body fat that is slowly draining the life out of you, while increasing strength or growing muscle at the same time (or BOTH gaining muscle AND strength )?
Well, in my book, it’s by doing it the contrary way of everybody else - the contrarian approach.
What’s that?
We’re not going to focus on “ shedding fat.”
We’re going to focus on “ increasing muscle mass.”
Why?
Easy -
Muscle is your “ Metabolism Master.”
What’s that mean, exactly?
Here’s what muscle does for you:
1- Regulates Blood Sugar & Insulin Sensitivity:
Skeletal muscle absorbs about 80% of sugar from the blood after meals, making it vital for keeping blood sugar levels stable .
Proper muscle function supports insulin sensitivity (how well the body responds to insulin), decreasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity.
References: Merz & Thurmond (2020), Feraco et al. (2021).
2- Stores & Releases Amino Acids:
Muscles act as a storage site for amino acids (the building blocks of protein), providing them as necessary for fuel , repair, or during sickness or fasting.
This aids maintain balance in energy and protein levels.
Reference: Argiles et al. (2016).
3- Acts as a Communication Hub:
Skeletal muscle functions as an endocrine organ, emitting proteins called myokines. These proteins help other organs (like the brain and liver) coordinate and maintain overall metabolic balance.
Myokines are essential in avoiding metabolic diseases.
References: Kim & Kim (2020), Feraco et al. (2021).
4- Adapts to Energy Needs (Metabolic Flexibility):
Muscles effectively switch between metabolizing sugar or fat for energy, depending on what the body requires . check here This flexibility is essential for energy efficiency .
Impaired flexibility is connected to conditions like diabetes and muscle loss (sarcopenia).
References: Molinari et al. (2023), Hood et al. (2019).
5- Follows Daily Rhythms:
Muscle metabolism is regulated by the body’s internal clock, synchronized to eating and fasting cycles. This synchronization ensures efficient energy use throughout the day.
Reference: Smith et al. (2024).
6- How Aging Impacts Muscle:
Aging results in sarcopenia (muscle loss), decreased strength, and slower metabolism. Mitochondria (the energy producers in cells) reduce, and inflammation increases .
These changes weaken muscle function and reduce energy efficiency.
Exercise can fight these effects, maintaining strength and metabolic health.
References: Grevendonk et al. (2021), Rezuș et al. (2020).
So it makes good sense that dedicating yourself to building, training, and maintaining optimal muscle function is not just “a way” but literally “THE WAY” to not “just” get stronger but to
[+] Remove unwanted body fat so you comfortably wear your clothes, have more confidence, and restore the respect of your peers and family members.
[+] Turn back diseases associated with being overweight / obesity, so you have more energy and quit relying on drugs that merely mask symptoms but don’t heal the root cause.
[+] Fight aging , the nursing home, flinging poop at the nurse who changes your diapers, and an early death.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to use your faithful KBs to do so.
But HOW, exactly?
Well, generally speaking…
Lift Heavy : Use multiple sets of 1 to 6 on your compound lifts .
And -
Lift Explosively : Use multiple sets of 5 to 20 on your explosive exercises.
And do that 3 non-consecutive days a week .
For specifics?
Remember, fat loss, muscle gain, and strength are all crucial .
But optimizing your “metabolic machinery” — aka your muscle — to work at its best is the key to achieving all three.
Stay Powerful ,
Geoff Neupert.