Muscle vs Fat

johncrangle
johncrangle Posts: 16 Member
edited November 18 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all, Im new to the forums but finding the advice very useful.

I lost close to 40pds over a short period (90 days) around a year ago via a strict diet and hard cardio daily. I looked too scrawny so hit the weights in November and mixed it in with cardio. Anyway Ive put 14pds and cant lift the weight? I look more toned but wondering does muscle really weigh more than fat as I weight alot more than most toned people? Im 38, 5ft 11 and at 13st 1pd now?

Thanks in advance.

Ps. Im drinking alot of coffee and have one before bed (no sugar), is this causing any fat storage in my body?

Replies

  • peachyfuzzle
    peachyfuzzle Posts: 1,122 Member
    Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat, muscle is more dense than fat. You can't speak of it in those terms without also talking about volume.

    1lb of fat = 1lb of muscle

    However,

    1 cubic inch of fat weighs less than 1 cubic inch of muscle.

    If you took two people who basically had similar height, and measurements, but one had 30% body fat, and the other had 15% body fat, the one with 15% body fat would likely weigh more as they would have more mass packed into the same space.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    In order to put on muscle you have to eating in a surplus, lots of protein and lifting heavy weights consistently.

    Are you putting on muscle? probably not...but maybe....but not 14lbs of it...
  • johncrangle
    johncrangle Posts: 16 Member
    Thanks @peachyfuzzle that does make sense thank you. I'll just keep at it and try to eat more protein and stick with water.
  • johncrangle
    johncrangle Posts: 16 Member
    edited May 2015
    Yeah @SezxyStef some muscle but I reduced my calories down to 1200 a day when I stripped the weight off and only realised in Jan I need to eat 150gs of protein a day. Im on around 1500 calories a day now.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    johncrangle wrote: »
    Yeah @SezxyStef some muscle but I reduced my calories down to 1200 a day when I stripped the weight off and only realised in Jan I need to eat 150gs of protein a day. Im on around 1500 calories a day now.

    No wonder you have no muscle OP.
  • Pelamblue
    Pelamblue Posts: 177 Member
    your nearly 6ft and 13 stone .....for your height and weight you should be eating nearly DOUBLE that just to maintain. To add muscle you want to be adding another 500 calories AT LEAST. just as a guide 4 calories per gram of carbs and protein and 9 calories per gram of fat. You are way under eating my friend. As for the coffee before bed, its a stimulant so will be detrimental to your rest, as far as I am aware caffeine does not encourage fat storage.
  • lindsayk324
    lindsayk324 Posts: 54 Member
    Hey, OP, sounds like you're looking to recomp your body. To keep your bodyfat low and build up lean body mass, a lot of guys (and girls) use a program called leangains. Google it if you're curious!

    As for calories, I like this calculator much more than the default MFP calculator for goals other than strict weight loss (like, for example, building lean body mass).
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Are you really only eating 1500 calories? I don't see how you could put on any weight, let alone 14 lbs. eating that.
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    Wow, I eat more than 1500 cals a day and I'm losing. Shouldn't men be eating more than that a day anyway??
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  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Are you trying to net 1500? I suppose you could gain netting 1500 if you are overestimating your exercise and underestimating your food calories.
  • johncrangle
    johncrangle Posts: 16 Member
    Yes I really am eating 1500 or max 1700 and I dont eat my cardio back either. I will admit Ive had a few nights out around once a month. Im scared to up my calories as when I do I can see my weight adding on. I only have 1 protein shake a day so I could up this to 3 a day maybe? I hear bad things about over doing the shakes.

    Thank you all for your advice and I will check out leangains now @lindsayk324
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    This is a girl but it's the same basic principle

    Yes you look far better at a heavier weight if that scale weight is the result of a decent musculature

    n40zu67cmcb1.jpg
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited May 2015
    johncrangle wrote: »
    Yes I really am eating 1500 or max 1700 and I dont eat my cardio back either. I will admit Ive had a few nights out around once a month. Im scared to up my calories as when I do I can see my weight adding on. I only have 1 protein shake a day so I could up this to 3 a day maybe? I hear bad things about over doing the shakes.

    Thank you all for your advice and I will check out leangains now @lindsayk324

    You are not going to gain muscle eating at a calorie defecit, unless you are totally new to lifting or possibly a returner or teenage boy

    You need to remove your fixed idea that scale weight matters a jot ...look in the mirror ...jump up and down...measure yourself...see how your clothes fit...but scale weights fluctuate naturally due to water weight

    What you are doing here is unhealthy and will be stripping your body of LBM ...and making your exercise less succesful... There is a need to fuel your body
  • johncrangle
    johncrangle Posts: 16 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    johncrangle wrote: »
    Yes I really am eating 1500 or max 1700 and I dont eat my cardio back either. I will admit Ive had a few nights out around once a month. Im scared to up my calories as when I do I can see my weight adding on. I only have 1 protein shake a day so I could up this to 3 a day maybe? I hear bad things about over doing the shakes.

    Thank you all for your advice and I will check out leangains now @lindsayk324

    You are not going to gain muscle eating at a calorie defecit, unless you are totally new to lifting or possibly a returner or teenage boy

    You need to remove your fixed idea that scale weight matters a jot ...look in the mirror ...jump up and down...measure yourself...see how your clothes fit...but scale weights fluctuate naturally due to water weight

    What you are doing here is unhealthy and will be stripping your body of LBM ...and making your exercise less succesful... There is a need to fuel your body

    Yes I will try raising my calories and drink more water. I have to admit I do worry too much on my pounds and not the inches. Thank you all.
  • colors_fade
    colors_fade Posts: 464 Member
    Scale means nothing because of the difference in density between fat and muscle. That's why the picture in this thread is so important. Look that that woman's 3rd picture. She weighs 14 pounds more than she did in the first picture, yet she looks leaner and way more fit. It's because muscle is more dense than fat.

    Forget the scale. What matters is body fat percentage.

    You need to gain muscle. To do that, you have to LIFT HEAVY and eat more calories than your maintenance.

    There's no magic here. It's that simple.
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