Significant research exists supporting the importance of maintaining lean body mass in a fat loss scenario such as:
- Increased metabolism of lean muscle assists with the reduction of obesity
- Increased muscle glycogen (carbohydrate) storing capacity for exercise
- Maintaining muscle over the lifespan can aid in reduction in obesity and weight gain as a result of aging (in presence of sarcopenia)
- Improved ability to tolerate high-stress environments
- Improved responses to critical illness and disease (you could say also prevention of disease in the case of obesity)
- Decreased osteoporosis
- Improved bone density
- Improved independence and activities of daily living in older adults
- Decreased risk of falls in older adults
- Protection against injury from bumps and knocks