It follows that a person with a higher muscle-to-fat ratio would burn many more calories while at rest than someone with a lower ratio. But does that extra bit of muscle really make a, So, an extra 15 pounds of fat will take up a lot more space in your body — giving you a softer appearance. And muscle is denser, meaning it has a smaller volume for its weight., Some say that for every pound of muscle you gain, your body will burn an extra 50-100 calories per day. According to Adam Zickerman, author of Power of 10: The Once-a-Week Slow Motion Fitness Revolution, “three extra pounds of lean muscle burns about 10,000 extra calories a month.”, Yes, muscle burns more calories than fat—about 2-3 times more—but the difference is small. The real benefit of building muscle comes from how exercise makes you healthier, stronger, and more active overall., In terms of fat loss, strength training is the best way to add lean muscle and burn calories, because it ensures that you don’t lose your muscle mass while you exercise & diet. A good way to make certain you are building or retaining muscle while trying to change your body through diet and exercise is to make realistic goals., Common gym lore suggests that 1 pound of resting muscle will burn 30 to 50 calories daily compared to fat, which burns no calories. However, research shows that 1 pound of muscle burns seven to 10 calories per day, while 1 pound of fat burns only 2 to 3 calories per pound daily..