Muscle Truth or Myth?

DaniJeanine

Is it reaaaaally true that "muscles weight more than fat"? And if you start doing weights regularly than a weight increase could be attributed to muscle mass?

WhiteRabbit1313

Is it reaaaaally true that "muscles weight more than fat"? And if you start doing weights regularly than a weight increase could be muscle mass?

Muscles are denser than fat and therefore weigh more per volume. Obviously, a pound of muscle=a pound of fat, but muscles are more compact.

So, weight lifting and increasing mass, technically, yes, BUT most of the time, it's water retention for recovery from initial work-outs. From what I've seen, you can build UP TO 2 lbs. per month:

"With an aggressive training program and proper fueling of your muscles, a common rate of muscle gain is 1/2 lb. of muscle per week. Although hormonal limitations will may affect this rate of absolute muscle gain in women, author of "Women In Sport" Barbara Drinkwater states that women are able to increase their relative strength at the same rate as men." - http://www.livestrong.com/article/284688-how-much-muscle-can-a-women-gain-in-a-week/

From my experience, I neither gained/lost in the first 2 months of lifting. I was eating at maintenance, though. Eating at a deficit/surplus will obviously alter your results and ability to gain muscle.

Fuzzipeg

Its that muscle is more dense, takes up less space. Here a lb of something is a lb of something one may be larger than the other because one is more or less dense.

mccindy72

Exactly, if you look at a 1 lb steak, it's not very big. But if you look at 1 lb of just fat, it will be a larger package because it takes up more space.

Think of large, muscle-bound men like The Rock, who probably weighs in at close to 300 lbs. A person with a high fat ratio at 300 lbs will be much large and take up much more space, and wear a larger clothing size, than the Rock, at the same weight.

Chief_Rocka

Exactly, if you look at a 1 lb steak, it's not very big. But if you look at 1 lb of just fat, it will be a larger package because it takes up more space.

Think of large, muscle-bound men like The Rock, who probably weighs in at close to 300 lbs. A person with a high fat ratio at 300 lbs will be much large and take up much more space, and wear a larger clothing size, than the Rock, at the same weight.

:blushing:

Ashes_To_Beast

Yup yup yup, It's all true! Think of a 1 pound rock as opposed to one pound of feathers.. One takes up much more room than the other.. If your getting fit as opposed to just loosing weight, put your scale in the closet and take progress pics for your self, the mirror and pics won't lie! You'll see your prgress for sure

ElliottTN

So (being a teenager with hormones pumping like crazy aside)
-lets say you are relatively new to lifting.
-You eat perfectly for muscle mass growth,
-lets even up the possibilities and say you are a male with normal to normal/high testosterone levels.

You are looking at maybe MAYBE .25 to .50 lbs a week of muscle and that is a really REALLY optimistic maybe. That is even more unrealistically optimistic if you are a female.

Just to put things in perspective for you as to what I believe you are REALLY asking here.

Pre-apology if assumed wrong with what you are asking (did I gain weight because of muscle mass?)

Of_Monsters_and_Meat

Exactly, if you look at a 1 lb steak, it's not very big. But if you look at 1 lb of just fat, it will be a larger package because it takes up more space.

Think of large, muscle-bound men like The Rock, who probably weighs in at close to 300 lbs. A person with a high fat ratio at 300 lbs will be much large and take up much more space, and wear a larger clothing size, than the Rock, at the same weight.

When we work out, you are suggesting we put on steak?

ChaplainHeavin

Exactly, if you look at a 1 lb steak, it's not very big. But if you look at 1 lb of just fat, it will be a larger package because it takes up more space.

Think of large, muscle-bound men like The Rock, who probably weighs in at close to 300 lbs. A person with a high fat ratio at 300 lbs will be much large and take up much more space, and wear a larger clothing size, than the Rock, at the same weight.

Excellent illustration. Makes much more sense now

SoDamnHungry

So (being a teenager with hormones pumping like crazy aside)
-lets say you are relatively new to lifting.
-You eat perfectly for muscle mass growth,
-lets even up the possibilities and say you are a male with normal to normal/high testosterone levels.

You are looking at maybe MAYBE .25 to .50 lbs a week of muscle and that is a really REALLY optimistic maybe. That is even more unrealistically optimistic if you are a female.

Just to put things in perspective for you as to what I believe you are REALLY asking here.

Pre-apology if assumed wrong with what you are asking (did I gain weight because of muscle mass?)

I could gain .25 lbs a week of muscle? That's better than I ever hoped for...

mccindy72

Exactly, if you look at a 1 lb steak, it's not very big. But if you look at 1 lb of just fat, it will be a larger package because it takes up more space.

Think of large, muscle-bound men like The Rock, who probably weighs in at close to 300 lbs. A person with a high fat ratio at 300 lbs will be much large and take up much more space, and wear a larger clothing size, than the Rock, at the same weight.

When we work out, you are suggesting we put on steak?

Since steak is cut from cow muscle, basically yes.

somefitsomefat

"I'm already in-shape & I'm a very active, happy person."

/thread

Helloitsdan

10lbs of iron takes up less room than 10lbs of feathers.

mccindy72

"I'm already in-shape & I'm a very active, happy person."

/thread

/troll

Unknown

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Leadfoot_Lewis

Here's the comparison...

ElliottTN

So (being a teenager with hormones pumping like crazy aside)
-lets say you are relatively new to lifting.
-You eat perfectly for muscle mass growth,
-lets even up the possibilities and say you are a male with normal to normal/high testosterone levels.

You are looking at maybe MAYBE .25 to .50 lbs a week of muscle and that is a really REALLY optimistic maybe. That is even more unrealistically optimistic if you are a female.

Just to put things in perspective for you as to what I believe you are REALLY asking here.

Pre-apology if assumed wrong with what you are asking (did I gain weight because of muscle mass?)

I could gain .25 lbs a week of muscle? That's better than I ever hoped for...

It's unrealistically optimistic.

I think women get like 6 lbs a year trying hard, eating at a surplus, and working really hard lifting heavy iron. Not running on the treadmill for 20 minutes and doing a boot camp.

I say this as basically the equivalent to an inner city 8 year old girl asking for and actually getting a pony for Christmas...

rybo

A sudden jump in weight when starting a strength program is largely attributed to the muscles swelling with fluid because they are being taxed and the fluid is part of the repair process. It's not technically muscle tissue being built, but it is responsible for the weight & size gain, that invariably leads to these questions and statements that people built X lbs of muscle in only a month.

PayneAS

And also

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/580019-the-scale-is-a-lying-torture-device-i-m-proof