Muscle does not turn into fat when exercise stops
Professor Leigh Breen from the University of Leicester explains that muscle and fat are distinct tissues with no biochemical process linking their conversion.
Distinct biological tissues remain separate
There is no known process in the human body where muscle transforms into fat or vice versa. Experts state that these two types of tissue are fundamentally different and do not change into one another.
Perceived changes stem from diet shifts
People often feel their muscles have softened after a break from training because they lose muscle mass while gaining fat. This happens when individuals eat the same amount of food but exercise less, creating an energy surplus that increases body fat.
Protein intake helps manage loss
Maintaining high protein levels and slightly reducing calorie intake can limit muscle loss during a pause in training. The combination of reduced muscle mass and increased fat mass creates the illusion of tissue conversion rather than actual transformation.
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