This might be a dumb question

perfect_goals
perfect_goals Posts: 4
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm nervous about strength training and toning up. Im a dancer and a cheerleader, so I cannot be too heavy for people to lift me up. I also have to be able to lift people myself...I know muscle looks smaller than fat so I might look like Im smaller but weigh more but people still have to lift me up (i think i just answered my own question)

1. Does muscle weigh more than fat
2. is it better to do cardio then after I reach my goal weight start strength training & toning?
3. Is it better to do both at the same time (I saw on some website that you wont be able to see the definition until you lose the fat around it)

or is it just a personal preference

Excuse my ignorance...I feel stupid lol

I JUST NEED SOME CLARIFICATION OKAY? What do you do?

Replies

  • bscott0002
    bscott0002 Posts: 3
    To burn fat you want to strenght train and do cardio afterwards and eat 10-20% below your TDEE calories. 1 pound of muscle is the same weight as a pound of fat. To get to heavy from gaining muscle would take years of heavy lifting plus eating at a surplus of calories above your TDEE.
  • healthyKYgirl
    healthyKYgirl Posts: 272 Member
    1. No - Muscle and Fat weigh the same (have the same mass). So 1lb = 1lb; 1lb muscle = 1lb fat. When people say muscle weighs more than fat, they don't know what they are saying. Muscle is more dense than fat, meaning that for the same weight it takes up less space. Therefore, you appear smaller at the same weight if you replace the same mass of fat with muscle. Think of it like this, if you took a 1lb metal dumbbell and compared it to 1lb of feathers, there would be a ton more feathers that take up a whole pillow to equal 1lb of feathers. If you compared the volume (size) of the dumbbell to the pillow, the pillow is bigger and takes up more space. However, they still weigh the same if you put them on a scale. So you want to replace the large fat cells with small compact muscle cells that make you look smaller.

    2. No. Weight training will help you retain muscle and lose fat, while increasing your metabolism.

    3. Yes, do both.

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