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Let's say after a year of strength training and cardios, I'm fit and well built. For some reason, I stop exercising at all and maintain a random diet that is consistent with my daily calory burn.
What would happen?
Do I lose the muscle in the next year slowly?
Does the muscle becomes fat slowly due to lack of usage?
If you stop exercising you will, after about three to four weeks, slowly lose muscles. Muscles are "expensive" tissue and will only be conserved if there is a need for. Depending on how much muscles you have and how active you are outside the gym, your body will reduce the amount of muscles.
Muscles don't turn into fat, but when you start losing muscles your daily calorie need will also start to get lower. Muscles are calorie burners and that's why your body starts to reduce them after stopping. If you don't decrease your calorie intake with the amount of muscle reduction, you will become fatter.
