"Muscle Weighs More Than Fat"
Bikini27
Posts: 1,290 Member
OK, I am sure this has been posted before and has been a pet peeve of many. So, I post this article to help out a little....Fav part? A pound is a pound is a pound.
Enjoy! :flowerforyou:
http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=8311
Ask the Personal Trainer: Does Muscle Weigh More Than Fat?
We resolve the controversy once and for all.
Article By: William R. Sukala, MS, CS
Q:Does muscle really weigh more than fat?
Muscle does not weigh more than fat, any more than lead weighs more than feathers. A pound is a pound is a pound. Where the misunderstanding often comes in is that muscle is much more dense than fat, so that, by volume, it seems to weigh more. That is, a pound of muscle occupies less space than a pound of fat. In addition, because a pound of muscle burns more fat than a pound of fat, even at rest, by increasing your lean muscle tissue mass, you're helping your body burn more calories.
But back to your question. If you only have a small amount of weight to lose, then you may feel like the weight training is not helping you move down on the scale. In fact, the number may even go up, but you will look thinner. This is due to an increase in lean body mass (muscle, bone, blood volume) and a decrease in body fat. In other words, even if the scale doesn't change much, you will probably see a difference in how your clothes fit.
On the other hand, if you have a lot of weight to lose, you will also experience an increase in lean body mass and loss of body fat. But the results on the scale will probably be more dramatic.
In this Q&A series, William Sukala, MS, CSCS, answers questions about fitness and exercise. Read more articles from our personal trainer.
Enjoy! :flowerforyou:
http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=8311
Ask the Personal Trainer: Does Muscle Weigh More Than Fat?
We resolve the controversy once and for all.
Article By: William R. Sukala, MS, CS
Q:Does muscle really weigh more than fat?
Muscle does not weigh more than fat, any more than lead weighs more than feathers. A pound is a pound is a pound. Where the misunderstanding often comes in is that muscle is much more dense than fat, so that, by volume, it seems to weigh more. That is, a pound of muscle occupies less space than a pound of fat. In addition, because a pound of muscle burns more fat than a pound of fat, even at rest, by increasing your lean muscle tissue mass, you're helping your body burn more calories.
But back to your question. If you only have a small amount of weight to lose, then you may feel like the weight training is not helping you move down on the scale. In fact, the number may even go up, but you will look thinner. This is due to an increase in lean body mass (muscle, bone, blood volume) and a decrease in body fat. In other words, even if the scale doesn't change much, you will probably see a difference in how your clothes fit.
On the other hand, if you have a lot of weight to lose, you will also experience an increase in lean body mass and loss of body fat. But the results on the scale will probably be more dramatic.
In this Q&A series, William Sukala, MS, CSCS, answers questions about fitness and exercise. Read more articles from our personal trainer.
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Replies
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I see these threads all the time.
Does anyone really think that a pound of fat weighs different than a pound of muscle?
The expression "muscle weighs more than fat" assumes equal volumes. So if you have the same volume of fat as you do muscle, the muscle is going to weigh more. Similarly, if you have the same weight of each, the volume of muscle will be less.
Do people not realize that?0 -
It's probably something they just never put a whole lot of thought into, and it is used as an explanation for everything. I'm hoping (crosses fingers and toes) that maybe spreading a little more knowledge will help.0
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Blackout!!!!!!!
Oh wait... wrong thread >.>0 -
Oh, this is my #1 pet peeve!
Better yet was the thread (I can't remember where it was, it was a week or so ago) where the poster had PROOF that muscle weighed more than fat because (wait for it people......).........if you put 1lb of meat in water it will sink but 1lb of fat will float.
Seriously! I was laughing so hard that I think I got an ab workout in.0 -
This is all that should ever have to be said on this topic.0 -
Muscle does not weigh more than fat, any more than lead weighs more than feathers. A pound is a pound is a pound.
Does that mean that muscle might weigh more than fat in Europe because they don't weigh in pounds??0 -
Muscle does not weigh more than fat, any more than lead weighs more than feathers. A pound is a pound is a pound.
Does that mean that muscle might weigh more than fat in Europe because they don't weigh in pounds??
Yes. Also European people will sink faster if you put them in water.0 -
Muscle does not weigh more than fat, any more than lead weighs more than feathers. A pound is a pound is a pound.
Does that mean that muscle might weigh more than fat in Europe because they don't weigh in pounds??
Yes. Also European people will sink faster if you put them in water.
:laugh: :bigsmile: :laugh: :bigsmile:0 -
I just know there's a Monty Python line there, somewhere
0 -
Oh, this is my #1 pet peeve!
Better yet was the thread (I can't remember where it was, it was a week or so ago) where the poster had PROOF that muscle weighed more than fat because (wait for it people......).........if you put 1lb of meat in water it will sink but 1lb of fat will float.
Seriously! I was laughing so hard that I think I got an ab workout in.
Wow....I want to go to their school!!0 -
I just know there's a Monty Python line there, somewhere
A duck!0 -
I hate when people gain a couple of pounds, vent online about it, and people say "you've been working out - its probably muscle." It takes TIME to put on muscle mass. Sorry you didn't gain a pound of muscle in a week. Especially women!
Either you are retaining water, or you ate more than you thought you did.0 -
I hate when people gain a couple of pounds, vent online about it, and people say "you've been working out - its probably muscle." It takes TIME to put on muscle mass. Sorry you didn't gain a pound of muscle in a week. Especially women!
Either you are retaining water, or you ate more than you thought you did.
Totally agree with that!!!!!!0 -
Thank you!!! This drives me crazy!
PamI see these threads all the time.
Does anyone really think that a pound of fat weighs different than a pound of muscle?
The expression "muscle weighs more than fat" assumes equal volumes. So if you have the same volume of fat as you do muscle, the muscle is going to weigh more. Similarly, if you have the same weight of each, the volume of muscle will be less.
Do people not realize that?0 -
I hate when people gain a couple of pounds, vent online about it, and people say "you've been working out - its probably muscle." It takes TIME to put on muscle mass. Sorry you didn't gain a pound of muscle in a week. Especially women!
Either you are retaining water, or you ate more than you thought you did.
It's almost certainly water if you are talking only one week. It takes time to put on fat too.0 -
This is thread number 99,999,999 on this subject. :yawn:0 -
I think the expression means that some people may have more muscle than fat, and if you dont have a lot to lose, you could see the numbers on the scales go up instead of down because you are gaining muscle.
But this is also a number one pet peeve of mine, muscle does not weigh more, it just takes up less space.0 -
a pound is a pound is a pound but if you put 1 pound of muscle next to 1 pound of fat, the 1 pound of fat takes up more space than the 1 pound of muscle. therefore when you weight train and build muscle mass you may not necessarily be losing as much on the scale but you will be shrinking in size.0
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This is thread number 99,999,999 on this subject. :yawn:
And yet we still have confusion about it....Hmmmm0 -
Muscle weighs more than fat by volume. Its more dense. Meaning if you fill a #10 can of fat and another #10 can of muscle the can of muscle will weigh more.0
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I see these threads all the time.
Does anyone really think that a pound of fat weighs different than a pound of muscle?
The expression "muscle weighs more than fat" assumes equal volumes. So if you have the same volume of fat as you do muscle, the muscle is going to weigh more. Similarly, if you have the same weight of each, the volume of muscle will be less.
Do people not realize that?
No most people do not realize that actually.0 -
Oh **** can we just let this DIE!!!0
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Muscle weighs more than fat -- BY VOLUME!
In other words, a gallon of muscle weighs more than a gallon of fat.
Why? Muscle is more dense than fat like lead is denser than water.
That's all people mean when they say muscle weighs more than fat.
Some may not express the concept correctly, but that's what they mean.
Will this absurdity ever go away?0 -
This is thread number 99,999,999 on this subject. :yawn:
:flowerforyou:
"i have a cunning plan"
"a plan so cunning you could stick a tail on it and call it a weasel"0 -
And yet we still have confusion about it....Hmmmm
I don't think anyone is confused about it. There is simply 2 schools of thought that totally boils down to how stupid you think the person saying "muscle weighs more than fat" it is.
One is that when someone says muscle weighs more than fat they mean that if you have the same amount (volume) of both the muscle will weigh more. (e.g. one cubic cm of muscle weighs more than one cubic cm of fat)
The other is that when someone says muscle weighs more than fat it's safe to assume that whoever said it so stupid that they mean the same weight of each will weigh differently. (e.g. one pound of muscle weighs more than one pound of muscle)0 -
Exactly!I see these threads all the time.
Does anyone really think that a pound of fat weighs different than a pound of muscle?
The expression "muscle weighs more than fat" assumes equal volumes. So if you have the same volume of fat as you do muscle, the muscle is going to weigh more. Similarly, if you have the same weight of each, the volume of muscle will be less.
Do people not realize that?
No need to knit pick.
That's a sign of weakness and insecurity.0 -
I see these threads all the time.
Does anyone really think that a pound of fat weighs different than a pound of muscle?
The expression "muscle weighs more than fat" assumes equal volumes. So if you have the same volume of fat as you do muscle, the muscle is going to weigh more. Similarly, if you have the same weight of each, the volume of muscle will be less.
Do people not realize that?
Apparently not. This is EXACTLY what they mean when they say that. Everyone knows a pound = a pound, dur!0 -
1lb of muscle weighs exactly the same as 1lb of fat.0
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Muscle does not weigh more than fat, any more than lead weighs more than feathers. A pound is a pound is a pound.
Does that mean that muscle might weigh more than fat in Europe because they don't weigh in pounds??
Yes. Also European people will sink faster if you put them in water.
ROFLMAO! You just made my day!0 -
im horny......does that weigh anything?? 0
This discussion has been closed.
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