Muscle vs. fat

themetra
themetra Posts: 174 Member
edited October 5 in Health and Weight Loss
I understand that muscle weighs more then fat, but any idea how much more? I do a lot of heavy lifting as I'm training to compete, and my clothes are getting looser, and I can see that I am thinner and there is a LOT more muscle, but not seeing a whole lot of movement on the scale - which I'm ok with, but decided I'm not getting on the scale again until Christmas.

I'm eating super healthy, but my trainer wants me at 130-135.

Any thoughts on this?

Replies

  • asyouseefit
    asyouseefit Posts: 1,265 Member
    Copied from another forum:
    Summary: Muscle density is 1.06 g/ml and fat density is (about) 0.9
    g/ml. Thus, one liter of muscle would weight 1.06 kg and one liter of
    fat would weight 0.9 kg. In other words, muscle is about 18% denses
    than fat. This should not be confused with the "energy density" of
    muscle and fat, which may be where you got the 3x figure that you
    mention in your question.

    I have made a special effort to find credible sources for the answer.
    Below I provide sources for the two numbers separately.

    1. The density of mammalian skeletal muscle is 1.06 g/ml.
    "... 1.06 g/cm-3 which is the density of mammalian skeletal muscle"

    Source for quote: The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological
    Sciences and Medical Sciences 56:B191-B197 (2001)
    Specific Force Deficit in Skeletal Muscles of Old Rats Is Partially
    Explained by the Existence of Denervated Muscle Fibers
    Melanie G. Urbancheka, Elisa B. Pickenb, Loree K. Kalliainenc and
    William M. Kuzon, Jr.a,d
    http://biomed.gerontologyjournals.org/cgi/content/full/56/5/B191#R23

    Reference given by the authors: Mendez J, Keys A, 1960. Density and
    composition of mammalian muscle. Metabolism 9:184-188.

    2. The density of adipose tissue (fat) is about 0.9 g/ml
    "...by multiplying the density of adipose tissue (0.9196 g/ml)"
    Source: Association of adiponectin and resistin with adipose tissue
    compartments, insulin resistance and dyslipidaemia
    M. S. Farvid1, T. W. K. Ng2, D. C. Chan2, P. H. R. Barrett2 and G. F. Watts2*
    http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1463-1326.2004.00410.x

    "...on the assumption that the density of adipose tissue is 0.9g/cm3"
    Source of quote: Pediatric Research 55:437-441 (2004)
    Distribution of Adipose Tissue in the Newborn
    TRACEY A.M. HARRINGTON, ELIZABETH LOUISE THOMAS, GARY FROST, NEENA
    MODI and JIMMY D. BELL
    Source given by authors:
    Ross R, Léger L, Guardo R, De Guise J, Pike BG 1991 Adipose tissue
    volume measured by magnetic resonance imaging and computerized
    tomography in rats. J Appl Physiol 70: 2164?2172
  • highgear
    highgear Posts: 30 Member
    Using the fit of your clothes is a good barometer. As you get more fit / leaner, it is increasingly harder to burn fat and you will not see the big drop in weight. If I could have a direct exchange lb per lb of muscle to fat I'd be thrilled! I moniter weight only as a tool, but rely more on the tape measure at this point. My weight has not changed much in the last two to three months, but I've taken an inch off my waist measurement, and my pants are baggier.

    Good work!
  • ashnm88
    ashnm88 Posts: 748
    I look at the scale, but if the scale hasn't moved, but my clothes are getting bigger then I'm happy. I have had to get rid of about 90% of my clothes. I have a limited selection, but I love wearing smaller clothes.
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
    Think in terms of body fat, not weight.

    It's tough, very tough, for women to build a lot of muscle, but if you are working out very very hard and managing that and your trainer still tells you to aim for a weight goal, have serious words with him / her - if that doesn't work, change your trainer.
  • themetra
    themetra Posts: 174 Member
    I should specify the reason my trainer and I are aiming for a specific number is because I power lift, and I want to be in a specific weight class to compete.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    If your eating at a calorie deficit, then you won't gain muscle. You may make the muscles stronger and make them show more due to reduced body fat, but that's about it. It takes a calorie surplus to actually gain muscle.. and it even then it's very hard for women.

    I'd say keep doing what your doing and see what happens later on down the road. It may take a while for the scale weight to move, but it will.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,266 Member
    I should specify the reason my trainer and I are aiming for a specific number is because I power lift, and I want to be in a specific weight class to compete.
    Good for you. I would probably stick with maintenance calories as much as possible and increase your workout time, intensity, and weight to facilitate that fat loss. How many lbs do you need to drop?
  • Sublog
    Sublog Posts: 1,296 Member
    If you're scale weight is staying the same, but you are losing body fat then you've found your maintenance # as far as calories are concerned, and you're doing a "recomp" of sorts.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    Any thoughts on this?

    I wouldn't worry about it.

    You seem to be stripping fat whilst mostly maintaining or even increasing your existing muscle mass slightly. Unless the wheels really come off your diet and training you won't see enough of a change in your scale weight which you can't counteract by manipulating water weight , carb / glycogen depletion and food in your GI tract shortly before making weight. Obviously you won't be putting on pounds and pounds of muscle in the next few weeks or even months.

    Check out this article by Glenn Pendlay for good tips on making weight:

    http://www.pendlay.com/Making-Weight_df_84.html
  • themetra
    themetra Posts: 174 Member
    I need to drop about 15 lbs to be at 135. Also, I see everybody saying how hard it is for women to build muscle, and I tend to build "noticeable" muscle very easily. I imagine that's mostly due to having a slight hormone imbalance
  • RonSwanson66
    RonSwanson66 Posts: 1,150 Member
    Any thoughts on this?

    I wouldn't worry about it.

    You seem to be stripping fat whilst mostly maintaining or even increasing your existing muscle mass slightly. Unless the wheels really come off your diet and training you won't see enough of a change in your scale weight which you can't counteract by manipulating water weight , carb / glycogen depletion and food in your GI tract shortly before making weight. Obviously you won't be putting on pounds and pounds of muscle in the next few weeks or even months.

    Check out this article by Glenn Pendlay for good tips on making weight:

    http://www.pendlay.com/Making-Weight_df_84.html

    ^^Good post^^

    When I was a competitive weightlifter, I used this method to make weight without any decrease in strength.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    I need to drop about 15 lbs to be at 135. Also, I see everybody saying how hard it is for women to build muscle, and I tend to build "noticeable" muscle very easily. I imagine that's mostly due to having a slight hormone imbalance

    Your not building muscle tho.. Whats happening is that your body fat is decreasing and thus your muscles are showing more.

    You may have built a tiny bit of muscle esp if you've never lifted before, but it isn't much.
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