I think you’re right about your first point - that stronger muscles let you work harder so you’ll tend to burn more calories when you are active. But I don’t think that’s the whole story because I notice improvements too quickly - my muscle strength won’t have increased enough to let me work hard enough to explain the improved body composition. I do think there’s something else. Is it increased Growth Hormone Production? Certainly big, whole body exercises is what I feel gives good results. If I broke it down into lots of little exercises I don’t see any benefits. But the studies apparently show that there is no significant ‘afterburn’, so if Growth Hormone is helping it would seem it’s not because it causes a higher calorie burn.
The point about muscles still recovering and burning more energy than they would at rest - well, apparently (according to what I’ve read today which may or may not be true) - that afterburn is insignificant and reduces the fitter you get. See the other thread I just posted regarding this:
I was wondering whether it’s simply a case of some types of exercise regulating appetite better? Certainly for me, sprints and HARD distance running reduces my appetite. I burn more calories and eat less. Easy cardio makes me hungry and I eat more - perhaps more than I burn! But the problem with that theory is that hard strength training does make me very hungry immediately after. I couldn’t say what effect it has on me over the long term though. Maybe I do eat less overall when I strength train?
I did find research to support the appetite regulation theory. For example, whilst running increases levels of ghrelin which should make you hungry they found that people who ran regularly learned to not overeat - without realizing it. Sub conscious self regulation of eating improved. They think because the hormones that tell your brain that you’re full are also elevated. Running wasn’t the only exercise that produced this effect, but it worked best. Cycling worked quite well - swimming not so good. But no real clue as to what volume and intensity worked best. And i’m thinking that could be the key?
I don’t count calories - my body does a good job of self-regulating (from quite-lean to more-lean depending upon how I train). Do any of you that do calorie count notice a difference in appetite/calorie consumption according to the type of training you do? Do you cheat more on some training regimes? I’m pretty sure this is what’s happening with me - appetite regulation is what’s really making all the difference.