Sorry, But I have To Do It!

mark03264

Some of you know why I am apologizing but I have to try just for general edification.

There are two statements that people make in the forums that are absolutely WRONG.
(OK agreed, there more than two but this post only concerns two in particular)
"Muscle weighs more than fat."
AND
"Muscle is heavier than fat."

Both these statements are WRONG.

Let's assume we have 10 pounds of muscle and 10 pounds of fat.

The 10 pounds of muscle weighs exactly the same as the 10 pounds of fat.
AND
The 10 pounds of fat weighs exactly the same as the 10 pounds of muscle.

If they weigh exactly the same than one can not be heavier than the other as the word heavier indicates greater weight.

Here are a couple CORRECT statements;
"Muscle is denser than fat."
AND
"Fat is less dense than muscle."

Because muscle is denser than fat and fat is less dense than muscle, these statements are CORRECT;
"A GIVEN VOLUME of muscle weighs more than THE SAME VOLUME of fat."
AND
"A GIVEN VOLUME of muscle is heavier than THE SAME VOLUME of fat."
AND
"A GIVEN VOLUME of fat weighs less than THE SAME VOLUME of muscle."
AND
"A GIVEN VOLUME of fat is lighter, or less heavy, than THE SAME VOLUME of muscle."

It can also be stated correctly that;
"A pound of muscle is smaller than a pound of fat."
AND
"A pound of muscle is more compact than a pound of fat."
AND
"A pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat."
AND
"A pound of fat is larger than a pound of muscle."
AND
"A pound of fat is less compact than a pound of muscle."
AND
"A pound of fat takes up more space than a pound of muscle."

Any questions?

yogavegan

HAHAHAAHAH love this!
its a HUGE pet peeve of mine, and one of the reasons i stopped going to weight watchers, the leader kept saying oh you gained a bit but muscle weighs more than fat.... UGH.... love this! thank you

cownancy

Wish I could adjust my font because it would say YES YES YES YES YES YES YES.....THANK YOU!!!!!!:drinker:

KyleGA

Well said Mark! Thank you for sharing...next time I come across the, but muscles weighs more than fat...I am going to copy/paste your well written message!

Cheers!

Helice

when i say muscle is heavier than fat..

I dont mean 10 pounds of muscle is more than 10 pounds of fat.. because they will both be 10 pounds..

Im saying a bowl fall of muscle will weigh more than a bowl full of fat..

janet_pratt

Oh do not get that one lady started again!

kr3851

THANK YOU. Really bugs me.

ambermichon

lol so to the simple folk...its much better to have your weight in muscle than the same weight in fat!!!

sister_bear

Thank you.

gc2052

Funny and cute. 10 pounds is 10 pounds.

xcmom

Amen!!

tam120

so, so, so, so sick of this... a million times it's been discussed.

saltorian

I totally get what you're saying, and you're absolutely right, but...

I think the trouble is that when most people say "muscle is heavier than fat" they actually MEAN "a given volume of muscle is heavier than the same volume of fat." At least, I always thought so.

I mean, most people would agree with this statement (using the "classic" substances, lol): "Bricks are heavier than feathers."

When they say that, they aren't saying that 10 pounds of bricks is heavier than 10 pounds of feathers, they're saying that a given volume of bricks is heavier than the same volume of feathers. Technically correct or not, it's just the way people generally talk. Statements like "steel is heavier than cotton" or "stone is heavier than wood" kind of assume the volume thing, don't they?

I mean, for most people. There are certain "dense" exceptions out there. ;-)

batalina

so, so, so, so sick of this... a million times it's been discussed.

^this

CeejayGee

I mean, most people would agree with this statement (using the "classic" substances, lol): "Bricks are heavier than feathers."

When they say that, they aren't saying that 10 pounds of bricks is heavier than 10 pounds of feathers, they're saying that a given volume of bricks is heavier than the same volume of feathers. Technically correct or not, it's just the way people generally talk. Statements like "steel is heavier than cotton" or "stone is heavier than wood" kind of assume the volume thing, don't they?

I mean, for most people. There are certain "dense" exceptions out there. ;-)

Common sense rules

lkm111

Please make this a sticky. Please.

FaithsVegWorkout

Semantics. I mean, seriously, would you correct someone if they said tomatoes weigh more than lettuce? Obviously people are talking about volume, aren't they?

megz4987

Hahahhaaa, yes.

britterbrittney

wait, my gut isn't muscle and that is why I weigh so much? Darn it.

catwrangler

so, so, so, so sick of this... a million times it's been discussed.

I hope it is discussed a million times more because new people come here every day who are clueless, as you and I were once. Well, maybe not you :laugh:

It can also be stated correctly that;
"A pound of muscle is smaller than a pound of fat."
AND
"A pound of muscle is more compact than a pound of fat."
AND
"A pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat."
AND
"A pound of fat is larger than a pound of muscle."
AND
"A pound of fat is less compact than a pound of muscle."
AND
"A pound of fat takes up more space than a pound of muscle."

Any questions?

Just one clarifying question:

The above is why one can gain weight yet lose inches, correct?

saltorian

Semantics. I mean, seriously, would you correct someone if they said tomatoes weigh more than lettuce? Obviously people are talking about volume, aren't they?

Exactly what I was saying.