Why Muscle Is the Key to Weight Loss as You Age
By: Brian Hoeflinger, MD
December 29, 2025 | #69
Forwarded this email? Sign up here.
Disclaimer: Opinions are my own. Not medical advice.
Medical Trivia of the Week
Which neurotransmitter is primarily deficient in Parkinson’s disease? (the correct answer is at the end of this email)
- A) Acetylcholine
- B) Serotonin
- C) GABA
- D) Dopamine
Why Muscle Is the Most Important Tissue for Weight Loss
What do you think is the most important tissue in your body when it comes to weight loss? If you guessed muscle, you’re correct.
It takes energy to simply keep your body alive. This is known as your basal metabolic rate (BMR), also called your resting metabolic rate. BMR represents the calories your body burns to perform basic physiological functions like breathing, maintaining body temperature, pumping blood, and digesting food.
These essential processes require a significant amount of energy. In fact, 60–75% of your total daily energy expenditure goes toward your BMR. The remaining calories are burned through physical activity: walking, exercising, cleaning the house, climbing stairs, and everything else you do throughout the day.
Why Muscle Matters More Than Fat
Different tissues in the body burn different amounts of energy just to maintain themselves. Believe it or not, fat tissue does burn calories, but not nearly as many as muscle.
Think of muscle and fat as calorie-burning factories:
- Muscle burns about 6–7 calories per pound per day
- Fat burns about 2 calories per pound per day
That means muscle burns about three times more calories than fat in the same amount of time. Even more important? These calorie-burning factories work 24 hours a day, including while you sleep. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, without doing anything extra.
The Metabolic Advantage of Muscle
Muscle burns more calories than fat because it is more metabolically active. Muscle tissue requires more oxygen, nutrients, and constant repair. Your body must spend more energy maintaining it.
As a result:
- More lean muscle mass = higher BMR
- Higher BMR = more calories burned each day
- More calories burned = better weight control
Aging, Muscle Loss, and Metabolism
As we grow older, most of us naturally become less active, and we lose muscle mass. The medical term for this age-related muscle loss is sarcopenia.
When muscle mass decreases:
- BMR slows down
- Fewer calories are burned each day
- Weight gain becomes easier
This is why maintaining muscle mass as we age is so critical.
Benefits of Muscle Beyond Weight Loss
Muscle does far more than help with metabolism and weight control. Maintaining strength is associated with:
- Better blood pressure regulation
- Improved bone health
- Enhanced mobility and balance
- Improved cardiovascular health
- Reduced risk of falls and injury
- Better cognitive function
- Lower risk of cognitive decline, including dementia
Strong muscles also support independence, allowing you to stay active, capable, and self-sufficient as you age.
Action Steps to Improve Muscle Mass
Here are simple, effective steps you can take to build and maintain muscle:
1. Focus on proper nutrition
Consume enough calories and prioritize high-quality protein to support muscle growth and repair.
2. Engage in regular exercise
Include strength training to build and preserve muscle mass.
3. Prioritize rest and sleep
Muscle repair and growth happen during recovery, not during workouts.
4. Consider supplements (wisely)
Whole foods come first. Supplements aren’t magic, but they can help fill nutritional gaps when needed.
Overall, building and preserving muscle is one of the most powerful things you can do for your metabolism, your brain, and your long-term health.
Impactful Quote of the Week
"Do not pray for an easy life; pray for the strength to endure a difficult one”
- Bruce Lee
All my best,
Brian Hoeflinger
P.S. - if you enjoyed this newsletter, you may enjoy my podcast and/or my book that details my life as neurosurgeon and the loss of my oldest son, Brian (see below a synopsis).
Check out My Book
Life and Death . . . Two words with such opposite meaning and which inflict such contradictory emotions and yet are so closely intertwined in our lives. As parents, we bring meaning and life into this world through our children. Our lives become defined as a result. We learn the joy, hardship, and responsibility of shaping an innocent life. But a day will come when that life will be taken. For some, death will come too soon. This is the story of my son, Brian Nicholas Hoeflinger, who died unexpectedly at age 18.
https://doctorhoeflinger.com/products/the-night-he-died-the-harsh-reality-of-teenage-drinking
Check out My Podcast
The Hoeflinger Podcast is about more than medicine, it’s about living a fuller, healthier, and more meaningful life. My son, Kevin, and I discuss medicine, health, fitness, lessons learned from personal tragedy, family, and purpose. Along the way, we invite inspiring guests to bring fresh insights and perspectives. Watch or listen to the podcast below.
YouTube: Click here
Apple Podcasts: Click here
Spotify: Click here
Please reply with any questions you may have or future topics that you want me to write about.
Interested in Sponsoring the Newsletter?
If you enjoyed this newsletter or previous editions, please share it with a friend. You can use this link: https://pages.doctorhoeflinger.com/posts
Medical Trivia Answer:
The correct answer is D) Dopamine
*Disclaimer: This newsletter and blog is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this newsletter and blog or materials linked from this newsletter and blog is at the user’s own risk. The content of this newsletter and blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay seeking medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should consult their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.
