Does muscle weigh more than fat?
Fatboy2Fitboy
Posts: 44 Member
Hi All!
ive been doing circuit training for past few weeks and recently weighed myself to see i have lost 6lbs in 3 weeks! YAY!
but im sure you have all heard this question. does muscle weigh more than fat because my biceps have gone slightly bigger and generally strength has increased.
So my question is do you think i have lost more fat than the scales tell me i have?
ive been doing circuit training for past few weeks and recently weighed myself to see i have lost 6lbs in 3 weeks! YAY!
but im sure you have all heard this question. does muscle weigh more than fat because my biceps have gone slightly bigger and generally strength has increased.
So my question is do you think i have lost more fat than the scales tell me i have?
0
Replies
-
No. It weighs the same, but it takes up less space. So if you lose a pound of fat, but gain a pound of muscle you will still weigh the same amount, but you'll be smaller.0
-
The only way to know if you are losing fat and/or gaining muscle is to get your body fat measured. It's possible that you just lost some of the fat that was covering your bicep underneath.0
-
Too funny..Had this conversation yesterday with a friend.. He said think about it "does a lb of feathers weigh more than a lb of bricks" NO silly...a lb is a lb...Right...I felt like such a *kitten*...I always heard muscle weighs more and never thought of it beyond that...0
-
Does a kg of feathers weight more than a kg of stones? NO!
Ffs it's simple stuff!
But yes, muscle takes up LESS SPACE than fat.
Nothing "weighs more" than anything else. The amounts/density varies.0 -
Using the "lb of feathers" logic would take us to the only logical conclusion that nothing weighs any more or less than anything else, as 1lb of anything always weighs 1lb.
Clearly this logic is flawed.
When we talk about weight, we refer to weight by volume. By volume muscle weighs a lot more than fat.0 -
I get confused by this all the time. So technically, if you are getting smaller, but not losing weight, you are just replacing fat with muscle then, right?0
-
0
-
Picture didn't work....awks! :ohwell:0
-
The difference between 5lb of fat and 5lb of muscle
Fixed it for you.
As if its not obvious, I guess its worth pointing out that the fat is on the left.0 -
thanks for the pic! and also yeah that is what i meant by the volume of the mass cz yeah 1 lbs of fat weighs the same as 1 lbs of muscle.
good stuff! thanks everyone!0 -
It's possible - as you've just started your body will be more prone to muscular hypertrophy. Also they will be filing themselves with water in which to repair themselves.
However - whilst yes, muscle does weigh more than fat (God help anyone that tries to disagree with me about that statement), it is only by quite a small fraction, like 20%ish.
Either way - it sounds like you're on the right track so keep it up!0 -
The difference between 5lb of fat and 5lb of muscle
Fixed it for you.
As if its not obvious, I guess its worth pointing out that the fat is on the left.
LOL Thank you :drinker:0 -
It's possible - as you've just started your body will be more prone to muscular hypertrophy. Also they will be filing themselves with water in which to repair themselves.
However - whilst yes, muscle does weigh more than fat (God help anyone that tries to disagree with me about that statement), it is only by quite a small fraction, like 20%ish.
Either way - it sounds like you're on the right track so keep it up!
Does 1 lb of lead weigh more than 1 lb of feathers?
It does not "weigh" more, but it is denser.0 -
[Good pic- To show the difference of volume..Thanks]
The difference between 5lb of fat and 5lb of muscle
Fixed it for you.
As if its not obvious, I guess its worth pointing out that the fat is on the left.
[/quote]0 -
[/quote][Good pic- To show the difference of volume..Thanks]
The difference between 5lb of fat and 5lb of muscle
Fixed it for you.
As if its not obvious, I guess its worth pointing out that the fat is on the left.
nice pic0 -
It's possible - as you've just started your body will be more prone to muscular hypertrophy. Also they will be filing themselves with water in which to repair themselves.
However - whilst yes, muscle does weigh more than fat (God help anyone that tries to disagree with me about that statement), it is only by quite a small fraction, like 20%ish.
Either way - it sounds like you're on the right track so keep it up!
Does 1 lb of lead weigh more than 1 lb of feathers?
It does not "weigh" more, but it is denser.
Who mentioned 1lb of anything vs 1lb of anything else?
it is denser, and therefore weighs more when in equal volumes.0 -
Which do you think looks better under your skin?0 -
The difference between 5lb of fat and 5lb of muscle
Fixed it for you.
As if its not obvious, I guess its worth pointing out that the fat is on the left.
I shouldn't browse these forums while eating my lunch....:sick:0 -
Who mentioned 1lb of anything vs 1lb of anything else?
it is denser, and therefore weighs more when in equal volumes.
Exactly. Anyone that says it doesn't weigh more is just being snarky.0 -
1lb of muscle weighs exactly the same as 1lb of fat!!
However, muscle is something like 5x as dense as fat. So the volume of 1lb of muscle would be 5x smaller than that of 1lb of fat.
So, do not stress the fact that weight/strength training will add lbs! I can say from personal experience that you can gain a little weight while at the same time tone your body. - Smaller waist - more defined abs, arms, back & legs.
I have also read that lean muscle mass burns more calories at rest than fat.0 -
Who mentioned 1lb of anything vs 1lb of anything else?
it is denser, and therefore weighs more when in equal volumes.
Exactly. Anyone that says it doesn't weigh more is just being snarky.
Wouldn't that technically mean that it has a higher density than fat?
(and I'm not being snarky, just a smart *kitten* lol...)0 -
Who mentioned 1lb of anything vs 1lb of anything else?
it is denser, and therefore weighs more when in equal volumes.
Exactly. Anyone that says it doesn't weigh more is just being snarky.
Wouldn't that technically mean that it has a higher density than fat?
(and I'm not being snarky, just a smart *kitten* lol...)
Absolutely it has higher density.
The original quote was that muscle weighs more than fat though. They never specified how much of each and by what measurement, be it weight/volume or anything else.
You assumed they were talking about equal amount of grams, I assumed they were talking about equal amount of volume.
I used my common sense to discern that it would be ridiculous for someone to try to assert that 2 equal weights are in fact different weights, and so logically assumed they were talking about a comparison by volume.
Not such a smart *kitten* now, eh? 0 -
OMG this old crap - I love MFP.. I recently posted a serious nutrition question , no one, not a single person. Then on a post like this all the pedantic smart arses come out and it goes on for pages. Oh I feel so so so sorry for what gives some people a sense of achievement
If you can't accept the implied volume concept here - carry on eating wrong and wonder at the mystery of obesity - it's someone elses fault
Incidentally that picture is wrong comparing fat to muscle . muscle is about 80% volume of fat and I would guess there is what ?? 200-300g of meat pictured0 -
Muscle weighs more than fat by volume if they are both in an equally strong gravitational field.
Thread closed.0 -
ffs. Muscle weighs more than fat by volume. I pound of feathers equals a pound of concrete, but one takes up more space than the other. So . . . a gallon of fat weighs less than a gallon of muscle.0
-
Also, strength can increase without technically building lean mass, just saying.0
-
Absolutely it has higher density.
The original quote was that muscle weighs more than fat though. They never specified how much of each and by what measurement, be it weight/volume or anything else.
You assumed they were talking about equal amount of grams, I assumed they were talking about equal amount of volume.
I used my common sense to discern that it would be ridiculous for someone to try to assert that 2 equal weights are in fact different weights, and so logically assumed they were talking about a comparison by volume.
Not such a smart *kitten* now, eh?
Touche! :laugh: :flowerforyou:0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 427 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions