Fat / muscle

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runrogrun
runrogrun Posts: 36 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Does muscle weigh more than fat or is that just a myth? Does anyone know how much more?

I am exercising alot at the moment and can definitely see more defninition in my legs and stomach but the scales have stayed the same. I am not too worried as I feel better in myself...but just wondered if I had gained some muscle, how much fat it equates to losing...

If that makes sense!!!?
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  • szczepj
    szczepj Posts: 422
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    1 lb is 1 lb, however muscle takes up less room than fat does. :)
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Yes, muscle weighs more than fat. That's why you sometimes see inches lost without a lot of movement on the scale. Because every pound of muscle on your body will take up less room than a pound of fat.
  • FrauHausMaus
    FrauHausMaus Posts: 194
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    Muscle is more dense than fat, so if you had a pile of fat and a pile of muscle that were the same size, the pile of muscle would weigh more.
  • ProTFitness
    ProTFitness Posts: 1,379 Member
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    Does muscle weigh more than fat or is that just a myth? Does anyone know how much more?

    I am exercising alot at the moment and can definitely see more defninition in my legs and stomach but the scales have stayed the same. I am not too worried as I feel better in myself...but just wondered if I had gained some muscle, how much fat it equates to losing...

    If that makes sense!!!?

    Its a myth! Muscle is more dense and takes up less room
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Its a myth! Muscle is more dense and takes up less room

    It's not a myth! The fact that muscle is more dense is WHY it weighs more. The whole "lb is a lb" thing is so goofy. The OP didn't ask if a lb weighed more than a lb. They asked if muscle weighs more than fat. it does.
  • Method2Madness
    Method2Madness Posts: 28
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    If you haven't worked out much before and have started a rather intense regimen, this can be the case...though I don't know if there are any good formulas that help you figure out progress other than using very accurate %body fay measurements.

    I worked w/ a trainer for three months, during which I lost only 4lbs...but my waistline decreased by over 2" and there was a visible difference in my face. The difference between how I looked and how much I weighed was due to body composition. This is when you need to find other metrics to guage progress. Body measurements (waist / neck) can indicate fat loss while repeatable strength measurements (pushups, timed runs, sit-ups...the standard PT test stuff) can help guage fitness progress.

    The important thing is to remain positive and not get discouraged by the lack of progress on the scale (which gets difficult after a while no matter how much better you feel or even look).

    Cheers!
  • AmerTunsi
    AmerTunsi Posts: 655 Member
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    i really would like to meet the person who made up that phrase "muscle weighs more than fat" .. seriously! A pound is a pound is a pound! o.O
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    i really would like to meet the person who made up that phrase "muscle weighs more than fat" .. seriously! A pound is a pound is a pound! o.O

    But a lb of fat and a lb of muscle aren't the same. The lb of muscle would be smaller because it weighs more. Just like a lb of rocks would be smaller than a lb of feathers because .... wait for it ... a rock weighs more than a feather.
  • kumarprabhat
    kumarprabhat Posts: 116
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    i really would like to meet the person who made up that phrase "muscle weighs more than fat" .. seriously! A pound is a pound is a pound! o.O

    But a lb of fat and a lb of muscle aren't the same. The lb of muscle would be smaller because it weighs more. Just like a lb of rocks would be smaller than a lb of feathers because .... wait for it ... a rock weighs more than a feather.

    Haven't we talk about it sooooooooooo many times?

    Muscles "Weighs more"? nope. Like everyone will think 1LB is 1LB. period. But like many of us know as well, muscle in equal weight as fat will take much less space. So, this means that muscle is "DENSEr", not more "HEAVier".

    Got it? or is it too "Dense"?

    Just kidding.. :)
  • mandeiko
    mandeiko Posts: 1,657 Member
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    Just to put into perspective...

    fat-v-muscle.jpg
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
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    It needs to be iterated that a 1lb of muscle just takes up LESS ROOM than a 1lb of fat, hence 2 people both the same height and weight, but one having more lean muscle mass will be smaller than the one who has a much higher body fat percentage.
  • runrogrun
    runrogrun Posts: 36 Member
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    Thanks everyone - I didn't word it very well did I....I'm not totally stupid, I know a 1lb = 1lb.
    I meant density / volume of a pound I guess. The pic was good, thank you.

    I am a newbie so I am sorry if it's been asked loads of times before.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
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    Yes, muscle weighs more than fat. That's why you sometimes see inches lost without a lot of movement on the scale. Because every pound of muscle on your body will take up less room than a pound of fat.

    ^This. 100% correct.
  • robinso5
    robinso5 Posts: 310 Member
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    no need to be sorry runrogrun! my mom always said the stupidest question is the one you failed to ask! if you wanna know search for it, if its not there, ask!

    and the pic did it for me too although i knew a pound is a pound is a pound!
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
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    <Sigh>… Yes muscle ways more than fat and here is why.

    Weight is a measure of force (so technically it is measured in newtons), specifically the force gravity has on an object. Whereas, mass is a measure of how much matter an object has (measured in mg, g, kg, etc…). Mass is constant, weight is variable (granted I think all of us are on Earth). I think we can agree on all of this, at least I hope so.

    Furthermore, in order to compare two objects scientifically, you need to have both a constant and a variable. Saying that 1lb of fat weighs the same as 1lb of muscle is a given because you are only comparing the two constants and ignoring the variable. That is no different than me saying that 100 calories of butter is that same as 100 calories of lettuce, however the quantities of both will differ. So when someone says that muscle weighs more or has more mass than fat it should be assumed that we are not referring to the two obvious constants alone, but are referring to their weights as a variable with respect to a constant volume.

    Additionally, when you refer to density you are, by definition, referring to mass and volume simultaneously since density = mass/volume. You cannot know a specific density without knowing both the mass and volume of an object.

    So to see how mass volume and density all relate simply think of the following equation:

    Weight = (Density x Volume) x Gravity
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Like everyone will think 1LB is 1LB. period. But like many of us know as well, muscle in equal weight as fat will take much less space. So, this means that muscle is "DENSEr", not more "HEAVier".

    Not "everyone" will think that. When someone asks me if something is heavier I automatically assume that they are not asking if a unit of measure is = to that same unit of measure because I assume they are of at least average intelligence. I assume they are asking if I have the same amount of these 2 things will one weigh more (i.e. is heavier)
  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
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    It needs to be iterated that a 1lb of muscle just takes up LESS ROOM than a 1lb of fat, hence 2 people both the same height and weight, but one having more lean muscle mass will be smaller than the one who has a much higher body fat percentage.

    The muscle you have becomes more dense when you start lfiting, this levels off after the first month or so, but in the first month of lifting the muscle you have gets a lot more dense. Not bigger, just more dense so it can lead people to think they are gaining fat or not losing fat because the scale. If you are just starting out and you notice your arms feel a lot more solid after just a couple of weeks, it's because your muscle became more dense, not always bigger.
  • sunshinemonkey
    sunshinemonkey Posts: 44
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    i think you already got the answer to your question btu i just wanted to point out something that actually is a myth.
    when you first start working out you don't gain that much muscle. It takes body builders quite a few weeks before they put on weight through gaining muscle. what actually happens is that as you start to use your muscles they begin to tear a little. your body then surrounds the muscle with fluid to repair the tears and this is what increases weight. it's just extra fluid (maybe with a little bit of leaner muscle) it usually takes around a month to level off :smile:
  • jamie78
    jamie78 Posts: 514 Member
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    i really would like to meet the person who made up that phrase "muscle weighs more than fat" .. seriously! A pound is a pound is a pound! o.O

    But a lb of fat and a lb of muscle aren't the same. The lb of muscle would be smaller because it weighs more. Just like a lb of rocks would be smaller than a lb of feathers because .... wait for it ... a rock weighs more than a feather.

    NO matter the size of something a pound is a pound, Yes one might have a lot more volume but its still a pound.
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
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    i really would like to meet the person who made up that phrase "muscle weighs more than fat" .. seriously! A pound is a pound is a pound! o.O

    But a lb of fat and a lb of muscle aren't the same. The lb of muscle would be smaller because it weighs more. Just like a lb of rocks would be smaller than a lb of feathers because .... wait for it ... a rock weighs more than a feather.

    NO matter the size of something a pound is a pound, Yes one might have a lot more volume but its still a pound.

    The OP did not ask if a pound was the same as a pound. She asked if muscle weighs more than fat, and the answer is yes as per my previous explanation.

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