Article: "Can You Turn Fat Into Muscle?"

CTcutie
CTcutie Posts: 649 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
This is for newbies (bc the rest of us know the answer already!).

The answer is- wait for it......... NO.

You CAN lose fat (by eating fewer calories) and gain muscle (by exercise/resistance/strength training), but you simply cannot morph fat into muscle. Two different body tissues- no magic allowed :-)

https://www.livescience.com/60904-can-you-turn-fat-into-muscle.html

Replies

  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • STLBADGIRL
    STLBADGIRL Posts: 1,693 Member
    I don't think all people know this. Some, but now all.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    edited November 2017
    This content has been removed.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    iLadyT wrote: »
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    Don't you think when people say this that know it's really replacing one with the other and not a magical transformation of one to the other?

    Nope. Common sense really isn't that common

    sounds like an oxymoron
  • ugofatcat
    ugofatcat Posts: 385 Member
    I don't think it is a matter of common sense, but if no one ever told you, how are you expected to know these things?
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    edited November 2017
    ugofatcat wrote: »
    I don't think it is a matter of common sense, but if no one ever told you, how are you expected to know these things?

    Well, muscle and fat are two different things. I don't have any special science or medical education, but it never occurred to me that fat could be turned into muscle. Most people who can change one physical thing into another are advertised as magicians or miracle workers. You can't turn water into wine. You can't turn chicken into beef. You can't turn fat into muscle. I guess the closest parallel would be you can't turn olive oil into a chicken cutlet? It seems like common sense to me, but maybe I'm smarter than I think :lol:
  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
    Nope. People DON’T necessarily know that. I’ve had conversations with people that actually think that one turns into the other (yes, like alchemy). It’s like how people don’t know that CICO is the energy exchange formula for weight gain, loss and maintenance, and not the name of a diet fad.
  • JasonMcS
    JasonMcS Posts: 96 Member
    I think that most people know that the fat cells do not morph into muscle but I do think that you can replace one with the other. I have lost a little weight but have gained lean muscle. I know I am no doctor but my arms are bigger than they were while they are also firmer than they were even 90 days ago. I have lost 35 pounds is all but am in pants I have not been in 15 years. Personally, when I say turning my fat to muscle I simply mean that my goal is to exchange the appearance of one for the other. (technically I think Fat cells shrink or empty out and muscle cells grow and multiply) For the record, I am attempting to trade the abundance of one for the abundance of the other.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    MsHarryWinston wrote: »
    Nope. People DON’T necessarily know that. I’ve had conversations with people that actually think that one turns into the other (yes, like alchemy). It’s like how people don’t know that CICO is the energy exchange formula for weight gain, loss and maintenance, and not the name of a diet fad.

    I actually don't believe many people don't know that you must eat more than you burn to lose weight.
  • DanishFeta
    DanishFeta Posts: 61 Member
    edited November 2017
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    MsHarryWinston wrote: »
    Nope. People DON’T necessarily know that. I’ve had conversations with people that actually think that one turns into the other (yes, like alchemy). It’s like how people don’t know that CICO is the energy exchange formula for weight gain, loss and maintenance, and not the name of a diet fad.

    I actually don't believe many people don't know that you must eat more than you burn to lose weight.

    I didn't, when i was younger i thought it was the size of the food. Say if I had to choose an apple vs a cake around the same size, i wouldn't have chosen the apple... but this is when i was like 11.

    People aren't magically born with knowledge and not all schools teach nutrition. I was lucky enough to have a good teacher once i moved schools. He had a really great biology class and with that I learnt more. Now that I'm older I'm learning more everyday with MFP.

    If people knew more about nutrition obesity wouldn't be the issue it is today and there's no harm in pointing things out that seem like common sense because there's probably a few out there that don't know.

  • erinlane93
    erinlane93 Posts: 170 Member
    Nope, you can build muscle whilst burning fat
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    edited November 2017
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  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    erinlane93 wrote: »
    Nope, you can build muscle whilst burning fat

    Tell us more.
  • dsboohead
    dsboohead Posts: 1,899 Member
    Muscle and fat are 2 different tissues! Muscle is by far superior but "some"fat is necessary.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    edited November 2017
    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    erinlane93 wrote: »
    Nope, you can build muscle whilst burning fat

    Tell us more.

    Do you literally not know the answer to this question? Because its certainly possible.
  • donjtomasco
    donjtomasco Posts: 790 Member
    I think some people are referring to 'turning fat into muscle' in a figure of speech way. By lifting we are accelerating the fat loss (if we watch what we eat) and if muscle does weight more then fat, this is maybe what is being referred to. Now, does muscle really weight more then fat????
  • ktekc
    ktekc Posts: 879 Member
    donjtomasco wrote: »
    I think some people are referring to 'turning fat into muscle' in a figure of speech way. By lifting we are accelerating the fat loss (if we watch what we eat) and if muscle does weight more then fat, this is maybe what is being referred to. Now, does muscle really weight more then fat????

    a pound is a pound regardless of what it is made of. same as a calorie and an inch. . Units of measurement.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,364 Member
    edited November 2017
    donjtomasco wrote: »
    I think some people are referring to 'turning fat into muscle' in a figure of speech way. By lifting we are accelerating the fat loss (if we watch what we eat) and if muscle does weight more then fat, this is maybe what is being referred to. Now, does muscle really weight more then fat????

    Bricks and marshmallows. A pound of one weighs the same as a pound of the other, but a pound of one takes up a lot more space than a pound of the other.
  • donjtomasco
    donjtomasco Posts: 790 Member
    ALATARIEL75 - THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is the best way I have ever heard that and it makes great sense.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    edited November 2017
    ktekc wrote: »
    donjtomasco wrote: »
    I think some people are referring to 'turning fat into muscle' in a figure of speech way. By lifting we are accelerating the fat loss (if we watch what we eat) and if muscle does weight more then fat, this is maybe what is being referred to. Now, does muscle really weight more then fat????

    a pound is a pound regardless of what it is made of. same as a calorie and an inch. . Units of measurement.

    ^Not this. When comparing two items, you look at volume. Muscle is much more dense than fat and it takes up less space.

    ETA: I will note that you won't gain muscle at the same rate as one will lose fat. Fat loss is much faster than the ability to gain muscle.
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