Why Do People Keep Saying This...?

Tflowers34907
Tflowers34907 Posts: 51 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Muscle weighs more than fat?! 1 lb = 1 lb. 1 lb of feathers weighs the same as 1 lb of leather which weighs the same as 1 lb of rocks. Geez. *Rant over*
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Replies

  • GODfidence
    GODfidence Posts: 249 Member
    Everybody knows this and multiple pointless threads have already been made over this.
    Muscle is more dense than fat and thus technically it does weigh more.
    Everyone knows what people are implying when this is said so there's no need
    For people to act like they're Einstein with semi witty remarks.
  • Anniecakesss
    Anniecakesss Posts: 13
    I've heard it used when you don't lose weight according to the scale. They say it because if you are gaining muscle and losing fat you wont see it on the scale because if you've lost 10 pound of fat and gained 10 pound of muscle you will look thinner but the scale will either stay the same or the number might go up.

    That's what I've heard. lol.
  • mbrtron
    mbrtron Posts: 45
    A pound of feathers will take up more space than a pound of rocks because it is less dense. It's not so much that a pound weighs more than a pound but that one type of tissue is heavier than the other by volume.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,039 Member
    Because most people don't apply the "scientific" way to compare the two. When comparing actual weight of different materials, you weigh them using equal VOLUME. So when weighing a liter of muscle against a liter of fat, muscle will weigh more. And it is true: muscle does weigh more than fat.
    You don't compare 1lb to a 1lb to find out what a pound of something weighs.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    Dude, nobody believes that a pound of muscle is heavier than a pound of fat.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Because most people don't apply the "scientific" way to compare the two. When comparing actual weight of different materials, you weigh them using equal VOLUME. So when weighing a liter of muscle against a liter of fat, muscle will weigh more. And it is true: muscle does weigh more than fat.
    You don't compare 1lb to a 1lb to find out what a pound of something weighs.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    ^^This. When comparing two substances of different densities, you compare their volumes. Muscle is more dense than fat, so when weighing equal volumes of the two, muscle weighs more...
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    Best thread ever since I've been here - worth the most :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/321105-worst-advice-you-ve-seen-on-these-boards?page=8
  • SuperSexyDork
    SuperSexyDork Posts: 1,669 Member
    dead-horse.gif
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
    The phrase refers to density, not weight.

    1 mm fat =/= 1 mm muscle
  • juicy_cat
    juicy_cat Posts: 145 Member
    Oh dear...of course 1 pound of two different things weighs the same...however if you took a peice of muscle and a peice of fat that were exactly the same size....lets say for example both the size of a golf ball...the muscle would weigh heavier...
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    Best thread ever since I've been here - worth the most :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/321105-worst-advice-you-ve-seen-on-these-boards?page=8

    Oh that ... person.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    There are lots of ways that people misunderstand and misuse the "muscle weighs more than fat" concept. Muscle is smaller than fat. Muscle is dense and compact. Fat is fluffy and squishy.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    The phrase refers to density, not weight.

    1 mm fat =/= 1 mm muscle

    Why would you refer to density, and then list that fat is not equal to muscle in length? Confusing...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    in....for the mathematical debate that never ceases....
  • Morninglory81
    Morninglory81 Posts: 1,190 Member
    Because by volume it does!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Dude, nobody believes that a pound of muscle is heavier than a pound of fat.

    spend more time on the threads...this one comes up about a million times a day or someone says I gained weight and someone says "its probably muscle"....
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Muscle weighs more than fat?! 1 lb = 1 lb. 1 lb of feathers weighs the same as 1 lb of leather which weighs the same as 1 lb of rocks. Geez. *Rant over*
    I have never seen anybody saying "1 lb of muscle = 1 lb of fat". They mean that per volume muscle weighs more than fat. Even if they don't understand the concept of volume, that's what they mean. The concept that you can look smaller at a higher weight if you have more muscle. I can't believe people get so worked up over this.

    You could get really nitpicky and argue that the pound is a unit of mass, not weight, but really - who actually cares when they're talking about weight loss?
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
    "Why Do People Keep Saying This...?"

    --- because people like you keep reviving it.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Dude, nobody believes that a pound of muscle is heavier than a pound of fat.

    spend more time on the threads...this one comes up about a million times a day or someone says I gained weight and someone says "its probably muscle"....
    That's a whole other issue based on the misconception that you can gain muscle mass really easily, even on a deficit. And still, I've never seen anyone saying "it's ok, you probably gained muscle, and 1lb of muscle is heavier than 1 lb of fat".
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
    w/e, I don't care how people express it, it's obvious what they mean. Muscle is denser than fat. If you compare the same volume of each, muscle will weigh more, no reason to get all worked up about it
  • t1nk6
    t1nk6 Posts: 215
    Oh dear...of course 1 pound of two different things weighs the same...however if you took a peice of muscle and a peice of fat that were exactly the same size....lets say for example both the size of a golf ball...the muscle would weigh heavier...

    thats a clear and simple answer.. seriously how numb are some people haha
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Dude, nobody believes that a pound of muscle is heavier than a pound of fat.

    spend more time on the threads...this one comes up about a million times a day or someone says I gained weight and someone says "its probably muscle"....
    That's a whole other issue based on the misconception that you can gain muscle mass really easily, even on a deficit. And still, I've never seen anyone saying "it's ok, you probably gained muscle, and 1lb of muscle is heavier than 1 lb of fat".

    Oh I have most definitely seen that...where someone says they gained and someone says "maybe its muscle"....so it is definitely out there...

    but I agree with where you are coming from ...
  • professorRAT
    professorRAT Posts: 690 Member
    double post
  • professorRAT
    professorRAT Posts: 690 Member
    Because by volume it does!

    Yep. Which should be obviously implied by the statement "muscle weighs more than fat".
  • smittybuilt19
    smittybuilt19 Posts: 955 Member
    A pound of poop equals a pound of relief.
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    Everything weighs the same as everything else. Happy now?
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    Dude, nobody believes that a pound of muscle is heavier than a pound of fat.

    spend more time on the threads...this one comes up about a million times a day or someone says I gained weight and someone says "its probably muscle"....
    That's a whole other issue based on the misconception that you can gain muscle mass really easily, even on a deficit. And still, I've never seen anyone saying "it's ok, you probably gained muscle, and 1lb of muscle is heavier than 1 lb of fat".

    What Jester said. I have definitely seen people say 'oh I gained 2 lbs after my first p90x workout' and other people say 'oh it's muscle!' but not that somehow a pound of muscle is heavier than a pound of fat. I will definitely agree that far too many people think you can put on muscle overnight.
  • Thomasm198
    Thomasm198 Posts: 3,189 Member
    Everything weighs the same as everything else. Happy now?

    Are you saying that I weigh the same as an elephant? Are you calling me fat.....again? :sad:
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    Everything weighs the same as everything else. Happy now?

    Are you saying that I weigh the same as an elephant? Are you calling me fat.....again? :sad:

    But you also weigh the same as a supermodel ... :D
  • cats847
    cats847 Posts: 131
    Everybody knows this and multiple pointless threads have already been made over this.
    Muscle is more dense than fat and thus technically it does weigh more.
    Everyone knows what people are implying when this is said so there's no need
    For people to act like they're Einstein with semi witty remarks.

    hahahaha, this!! :P

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