Does muscle weigh more than fat?

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firewalking
firewalking Posts: 335 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I found this article very interesting....I first learned this when I was a weight loss counselor and thought I would pass the info along...

Muscle vs. Fat, Which Would you Rather Wear?
Muscle Does Not Weigh More Than Fat (five pounds is five pounds), but it is Much Nicer to Look at

5 Lb. Fat vs. 5 Lb. Muscle
As you can see, the 5 lbs. of fat is much bulkier than the 5 lbs. of muscle, but five pounds is still five pounds. Muscle does not weigh more than fat.

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" English, 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.

Replies

  • firewalking
    firewalking Posts: 335 Member
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    I found this article very interesting....I first learned this when I was a weight loss counselor and thought I would pass the info along...

    Muscle vs. Fat, Which Would you Rather Wear?
    Muscle Does Not Weigh More Than Fat (five pounds is five pounds), but it is Much Nicer to Look at

    5 Lb. Fat vs. 5 Lb. Muscle
    As you can see, the 5 lbs. of fat is much bulkier than the 5 lbs. of muscle, but five pounds is still five pounds. Muscle does not weigh more than fat.

    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" English, 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.
  • heather0mc
    heather0mc Posts: 4,656 Member
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    :flowerforyou:
  • mrsyac2
    mrsyac2 Posts: 2,784 Member
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    I found this article very interesting....I first learned this when I was a weight loss counselor and thought I would pass the info along...

    Muscle vs. Fat, Which Would you Rather Wear?
    Muscle Does Not Weigh More Than Fat (five pounds is five pounds), but it is Much Nicer to Look at

    5 Lb. Fat vs. 5 Lb. Muscle
    As you can see, the 5 lbs. of fat is much bulkier than the 5 lbs. of muscle, but five pounds is still five pounds. Muscle does not weigh more than fat.

    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" English, 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.

    great post- Very true- thats why it is very important for people to not just track the scale but to also measure themselves with tape and if its available to get there body fat percentage taken (yes it isn't comfortable to have people pinching at your fat but atleast you will know your fat percentage and that should be great motivation when you really hear how much fat you really have on you)--
  • Iceprincessk25
    Iceprincessk25 Posts: 1,888 Member
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    AMEN for the measuring tape. My first week I lost NADA on the scale and was a little discouraged. LUCKILY, I broke out my measuring tape and I lost a half inch on my waist & hips so I was hap-hap-happy!!

    Scales are just like boys....they LIE! I kid...I kid. :laugh:
  • ricksnaustin
    ricksnaustin Posts: 439 Member
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    Well Heck. This Texan learned something new. Good info. I always thought fat weighed more than muscle. But when you put it like 5 pounds equal 5 pounds, I had to slap myself in the forehead and say, DUH!!!!!

    I am totally cool with fat and muscle weighing the same just as long as I am putting on more muscle and less fat. That's a fair trade. :glasses:
  • mrsyac2
    mrsyac2 Posts: 2,784 Member
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    AMEN for the measuring tape. My first week I lost NADA on the scale and was a little discouraged. LUCKILY, I broke out my measuring tape and I lost a half inch on my waist & hips so I was hap-hap-happy!!

    Scales are just like boys....they LIE! I kid...I kid. :laugh:

    no need to say your kidding-- Scales are just like boys lmao--
  • glorybee
    glorybee Posts: 20
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    Great post. I know for me, I have only lost maybe 5 lbs (I quit weighing myself), but jeans that were like spandex a month ago are now loose. Even though the scale doesn't reflect a significant change, my clothes definately do. It was hard not to see the scale match up with what my body is doing. I guess some day my body will sync up to itself. In the meantime, I continue eat pretty clean, do weight training 3 days a week, and cardio 5 days weekly.
  • oodesireoo
    oodesireoo Posts: 29
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    so.... time to go get a measuring tape.. i hate stepping on the scale! its very discouraging!
  • LeanLioness
    LeanLioness Posts: 1,091 Member
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    I no longer own a scale for this reason...........

    I lose inches and inches, then the scale with drop 5-10 pounds.............rinse, recycle and repeat the phase again..............
  • Anna_Banana
    Anna_Banana Posts: 2,939 Member
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    It really depends how you look at it. If you are looking at volume yes. Cause 1 gallon of muscle weighs more than 1 gallon of fat because it's more dense. If you are looking at equal weight no. 1 pound is 1 pound. Does a pound of bricks weigh more than a pound of feathers?
  • mrsyac2
    mrsyac2 Posts: 2,784 Member
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    my coworker is training for a fitness competetion she looks amazing however I couldn't do it her diet is ridiculous- (oatmeal and meat together) anyway her weight didn't change at first but because of muscle she looked like she lost 15lbs-


    Anyway she is ripped and cut all over and she is def my motivation thats what got me to get back in gear was how she looked- When I hit my plateau I am gonna eat how she eats for a week to 2 weeks to shock my body-

    She gave me a tip though for the oatmeal and meat thing- Lipton soups just use the seasoning and put it in the boiling water before adding the oatmeal it gives it flavor and you can use what ever flavor you like she uses turkey,chicken, or lean hamburger meat for her meats that go in the oatmeal only a 1/2 cup though- (she cant use the seasoning anymore because they had to reduce her sodium content since the big day is about to be here though so now its straight plain oatmeal and meat no seasonings)
    Sorry I got off topic.

    But muscle doesn't weigh more than fat.

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