Muscle DOES NOT weigh more than fat and put away the damn sc

JadeRabbit08

When people say that muscle weighs more than fat, they mean per unit volume. No one thinks 5lbs. of anything does not weigh 5 lbs.

What he said.

I get so tired hearing people say muscle and fat weigh the same. When people say something weighs more or less than something else they are comparing the same unit per volume (usually). What weighs more, a cup of fat or a cup of muscle? Your answer is muscle.

CrystalFlury

Thanks!!! Great points! I'd have to say I've been measuring ever since joining my fitness pal and I've consistently seen a change in my numbers in regards to waist and hip size. Not always have I been lucky to see a change in weight as often. It is SO motivating to put clothes on that once fit tight and are now LOOSE!

I do track both weight and measurements and recently I think I've been a little too obsessed with the scale. I think I might give the thing a rest and see how my exercising and eating right shrinks my measurements instead of my overall weight.

heylatimer

Because you are replacing the fat with muscle. Muscle takes up less space for the same amount of weight. I guarantee that the said person who lost 17 inches has a much much lower body fat% than when they started. Much lower.

I get that, but this individual looks like they lost 10-15 lbs. So they would need to make a gain of 10-15lbs of lean muscle mass in 3 months while at the same time losing 10-15lbs of fat. That is a phenomenal growth rate that bodybuilders would kill for.

chiera88

thanks! by volume makes so much more sense. i understood the concept but never really the words ha

CJToo_Tracy

As a newbie to the community and finally using MFP the way I should I appreciate the info....great post!

amymeenieminymo

When people say that muscle weighs more than fat, they mean per unit volume. No one thinks 5lbs. of anything does not weigh 5 lbs.

This! I am assuming most people know 5 pounds is 5 pounds, and that when people say that they mean a portion of muscle the size of a football is going to weight more than a portion of fat that same size.

And OP, feel free to put your scale away, but I'll keep mine thanks. Seeing it go up scares me into getting my butt moving and seeing it go down gives me motivation to do even better.

grinch031

I have been having conversations on this with other friends and there is something I cannot explain, or find an explanation for - there has to be one.

What causes someone to lose 17 inches (combined) but not lose any more than 1lb of overall weight over a 3 month period? This is the kind of situation that leads to the muscle weighs more than fat discussion.

Because you are replacing the fat with muscle. Muscle takes up less space for the same amount of weight. I guarantee that the said person who lost 17 inches has a much much lower body fat% than when they started. Much lower.

Yes, but it is very hard to gain muscle while in a caloric deficit. I would guess the person made mistakes and maybe lost less inches, and they were new to strength training, as when you are new to lifting you can have "beginners gains". But after that you will actually lose muscle as you lose weight.

Or when fat loss occurs sometimes water is retained, masking the loss from the scale. I know whenever I'm losing weight I tend to hang on to water and even think I'm gaining weight before the whoosh eventually happens.

rowyourboat

Trying very hard to live by this philosophy.

drmattski

I think the bottom line is that WEIGHT should not be the ONLY measure of fitness. If you eat healthy, exercise and look/feel good, then that is the end of the debate (IMHO). I personally don't care what I weigh as long as a I look the way I want. That said, I do know that I have extra pounds which are predominately fat. Do I want to give up any muscle in the process? Heck NO! ...BUT a preoccupation with any ONE measure (weight, strength, or inches) can *potentially* be unhealthy.

Be healthy!

Matt

bcattoes

The correct way to state the muscle weighs more than fat scenario is, "Muscle is heavier by volume than fat."

Man, I love a good rant over semantics. So, in your world the only answer to "which one of these weighs more" is "neither"??

Z_I_L_L_A

I guess I picked the wrong subject for my 1st post on these forums.....damn, you guys are like pitbulls....:bigsmile: I like it.

Its just been posted a million times, its nothing against you. People start knawing their foot off trying to get away from hearing it. You wanna tackle another one people hate on here try eating back your calories burned.

LoraF83

Well, let's say it like it is. I do not know the educational level of any of the people on this site. When someone posts that muscle weighs more than fat, someone will probably take that as what they are saying.....literally. I see it all the time when someone posts about being bummed that they did not lose any weight this week. You always have someone post about how they probably gained muscle instead and muscle weighs more than fat. Sorry, but that makes no sense to me. And for someone that is emotionally attached to the scale, they are not going to understand what they are trying to really say.

I'll give you that. Way too many people on this site respond with "oh you're just gaining muscle" Um no, you don't gain muscle on a calorie deficit.
But it's been hashed and rehashed on here so many times, it's unreal.

I guess I am bringing up an old subject then. Maybe I'll do a search to see all the older posts. I'm new on the forums.

Apparently no one bothered to tell you that new people (me too) are not allowed to post or have an opinion. That's just the way it is. I think it's in the rules somewhere. I'll probably be reported just for posting to tell you this.

heylatimer

Yes, but it is very hard to gain muscle while in a caloric deficit. I would guess the person made mistakes and maybe lost less inches, and they were new to strength training, as when you are new to lifting you can have "beginners gains". But after that you will actually lose muscle as you lose weight.

Ahhh. Beginner gains. I have never heard that term. Kewl. Something more to occupy my google time at work

Ripken818836701

Well, let's say it like it is. I do not know the educational level of any of the people on this site. When someone posts that muscle weighs more than fat, someone will probably take that as what they are saying.....literally. I see it all the time when someone posts about being bummed that they did not lose any weight this week. You always have someone post about how they probably gained muscle instead and muscle weighs more than fat. Sorry, but that makes no sense to me. And for someone that is emotionally attached to the scale, they are not going to understand what they are trying to really say.

I'll give you that. Way too many people on this site respond with "oh you're just gaining muscle" Um no, you don't gain muscle on a calorie deficit.
But it's been hashed and rehashed on here so many times, it's unreal.

Yes you can gain plenty of muscle while on a calorie deficit!!

erickirb

Well, let's say it like it is. I do not know the educational level of any of the people on this site. When someone posts that muscle weighs more than fat, someone will probably take that as what they are saying.....literally. I see it all the time when someone posts about being bummed that they did not lose any weight this week. You always have someone post about how they probably gained muscle instead and muscle weighs more than fat. Sorry, but that makes no sense to me. And for someone that is emotionally attached to the scale, they are not going to understand what they are trying to really say.

I'll give you that. Way too many people on this site respond with "oh you're just gaining muscle" Um no, you don't gain muscle on a calorie deficit.
But it's been hashed and rehashed on here so many times, it's unreal.

Yes you can gain plenty of muscle while on a calorie deficit!!

If you're juicing maybe.

melbaby925

I guess I picked the wrong subject for my 1st post on these forums.....damn, you guys are like pitbulls....:bigsmile: I like it.

LOL...for the record, just don't pick "lose vs. loose" or 'should I eat back my exercise calories" or the HGC diet as your second posts...hahaha.

Welcome to the forums though (it can be ugly sometimes) :drinker:

^^This - and add to that the natural sugars debate, clean eating, and whether you should do cardio or lift heavy to lose the most!

And welcome, we all love new folks here!

kateroot

OP, I completely agree with you about people saying "you must be gaining muscle." That drives me nuts. You're not going to make any muscle gains that will actually reflect on the scale without a calorie surplus and a conscientious effort to GAIN muscle. In most cases when the scale doesn't move, people are either retaining water or eating more calories than they think and not creating a deficit. Anytime someone says "you must be gaining muscle," I want to kick them in the shin.

sarahgilmore

OP, I completely agree with you about people saying "you must be gaining muscle." That drives me nuts. You're not going to make any muscle gains that will actually reflect on the scale without a calorie surplus and a conscientious effort to GAIN muscle. In most cases when the scale doesn't move, people are either retaining water or eating more calories than they think and not creating a deficit. Anytime someone says "you must be gaining muscle," I want to kick them in the shin.

And the girls who go "OMG I did 2 days of *insert circuit based exercise programme here* and my legs turned into TREE TRUNKS"

Ripken818836701

Yes, but it is very hard to gain muscle while in a caloric deficit. I would guess the person made mistakes and maybe lost less inches, and they were new to strength training, as when you are new to lifting you can have "beginners gains". But after that you will actually lose muscle as you lose weight.

Ahhh. Beginner gains. I have never heard that term. Kewl. Something more to occupy my google time at work

Not true at all!!

kateroot

OP, I completely agree with you about people saying "you must be gaining muscle." That drives me nuts. You're not going to make any muscle gains that will actually reflect on the scale without a calorie surplus and a conscientious effort to GAIN muscle. In most cases when the scale doesn't move, people are either retaining water or eating more calories than they think and not creating a deficit. Anytime someone says "you must be gaining muscle," I want to kick them in the shin.

And the girls who go "OMG I did 2 days of *insert circuit based exercise programme here* and my legs turned into TREE TRUNKS"

Hah that makes me laugh too. Or the, "My muscles FEEL bigger, so I MUST be gaining muscle." Uhh, it's called water retention, your muscles do it when they're trying to repair themselves. Maybe I'm being a little harsh, I know lots of people on here are new to the whole diet/fitness thing, but I feel like if you spend 20 minutes on these forums you'll pretty much figure out the basics, as well as learn who on here actually knows what they're talking about for the most part.

Z_I_L_L_A

I guess I picked the wrong subject for my 1st post on these forums.....damn, you guys are like pitbulls....:bigsmile: I like it.

Its just been posted a million times, its nothing against you. People start knawing their foot off trying to get away from hearing it. You wanna tackle another one people hate on here try eating back your calories burned.

bump

Hellbent_Heidi

.... I feel like if you spend 20 minutes on these forums you'll pretty much figure out the basics, as well as learn who on here actually knows what they're talking about for the most part.

TRUE.... there's a whole lot of misinformation being passed along on these boards, and people (especially newbies who don't have a lot of experience with any of this process) really need to be careful about which advice they take.

dlwyatt82

Hah that makes me laugh too. Or the, "My muscles FEEL bigger, so I MUST be gaining muscle." Uhh, it's called water retention, your muscles do it when they're trying to repair themselves. Maybe I'm being a little harsh, I know lots of people on here are new to the whole diet/fitness thing, but I feel like if you spend 20 minutes on these forums you'll pretty much figure out the basics, as well as learn who on here actually knows what they're talking about for the most part.

At least you don't need to actually gain muscle to get stronger. For most of my adult life, I've been the stereotypical couch potato IT guy. I still weigh over 330 pounds, but I can do 30+ push-ups these days. When I started exercising, it was more like.... 3. :embarassed:

csparon

Two of the biggest things on this forum that I see people always saying is that muscle weighs more than fat. It doesn't. The other is the constant worrying about what the scale says. Throw the damn thing away.

First on the fat vs muscle weight myth:

Fat is bulky and lumpy so if you carry an extra five pounds of fat, you'll be lumpier than with five pounds more muscle. A five pound pile of fat will take up more space (volume) than a five pound pile of muscle; but five pounds is still five pounds, so for those of you that don't "get it", you cannot say one thing weighing a certain weight weighs more than another thing at that same weight. It's a common joke to play on an 8-year old. The correct way to state the muscle weighs more than fat scenario is, "Muscle is heavier by volume than fat."

A woman weighing 150 pounds with 19% fat will look much smaller (and be much healthier) than a woman at 150 pounds with 35% fat. They weigh the same, yet the composition is different. Because muscle is more dense than fat the person with less fat and more muscle will look smaller.

Stop being so obsessed with body weight and start paying attention to body composition. How much body fat do you have compared to muscle? Simply seeing how much you weigh isn't very helpful.

Now onto the scale and how much you weigh:

Take measurements and put the scale away. The scale is just one tool out of the toolbox to use to track your progress, but in my opinion is probably the less helpful. The scale has a way of playing mind tricks on you and causing setbacks and hopelessness if you do not hit the number you "think you deserve" from all the exercise you are doing. There are so many factors tied into that number on the scale, that weighing nightly, daily, weekly, every two weeks can play significant emotional mind games with some people. Put the damn thing away and use it monthly to track your progress, if at all, if that number even means anything to you. It doesn't to me.

I gauge my success off how my clothes are fitting, my energy levels, and my overall outlook on life. Not some 3 digits on a scale.

If I am following the recommended caloric guidelines MFP has setup and trying to lower my body fat % by working out and exercising then the weight will come off.

And to end this rant, I will say that most of us here did not become overweight in a week. It took months, if not years of unhealthy living and diet. You cannot expect to lose it all in a week or a month. Stick to the guidelines, simplfy it, and you WILL see results. It's all mind over matter.

-Rant over

I love this. Well said!

kmkcl

Perfectly stated! Overall health and flexibility is key!

Ge0rgiana

THANK YOU. I have been trying to convince some of my MFP friends of this. These ladies work so hard and are so diligent and I'm so proud of them, but then they see a number they don't like on the scale and they get so down about it. I think they're such great people, and it breaks my heart.

Divorcing my happiness from a 3 digit number was one of the best things I've done for myself.

JadeRabbit08

Yes, but it is very hard to gain muscle while in a caloric deficit. I would guess the person made mistakes and maybe lost less inches, and they were new to strength training, as when you are new to lifting you can have "beginners gains". But after that you will actually lose muscle as you lose weight.

Ahhh. Beginner gains. I have never heard that term. Kewl. Something more to occupy my google time at work

Not true at all!!

Beginners gains isn't true? Damn.

delilah47

Well, let's say it like it is. I do not know the educational level of any of the people on this site. When someone posts that muscle weighs more than fat, someone will probably take that as what they are saying.....literally. I see it all the time when someone posts about being bummed that they did not lose any weight this week. You always have someone post about how they probably gained muscle instead and muscle weighs more than fat. Sorry, but that makes no sense to me. And for someone that is emotionally attached to the scale, they are not going to understand what they are trying to really say.

How much education do you need to know that 5lb is 5lb, no matter what's on the scale? This is as far as I have gotten with this thread, but I'll bet you haven't heard the end of how condescending you sound.

beckylawrence70

yeah, tired of hearing that myth myself.......

Mariana_87

When people say that muscle weighs more than fat, they mean per unit volume. No one thinks 5lbs. of anything does not weigh 5 lbs.

I always say muscle weighs more than fat... BECAUSE...... Its easier to say rather than try to explain the reason why. Everyone is smart enough to know that a pound is a pound no matter what it is. BUT. You will look a lot smaller with more muscle than fat. Plain and simple. I'm not going to keep giving everyone this big essay. Its just easier. Muscle weighs more than fat.