Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat....

JulieB21
JulieB21 Posts: 492
edited September 18 in Health and Weight Loss
5 lbs. of fat is much bulkier than 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

  • JulieB21
    JulieB21 Posts: 492
    5 lbs. of fat is much bulkier than 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.
  • deanea
    deanea Posts: 1,437
    :wink:
  • chiefiron
    chiefiron Posts: 305 Member
    Applys to men and woman alike. Good point that should not be forgotten.

    X body fat % at X weight is my goal. Gaining muscle seems so much harder than loosing fat.....for me any way.

    Tim :glasses:
  • KathyR
    KathyR Posts: 67 Member
    You are right 5 pounds is 5pounds, i know in a few posts i have stated the maybe the reason they arent seing the wieght come off as much is that they are gaining mustle weight but it wasnt my intention that mustle weight more then fat. I hope this wasnt for me cause if i give out the wrong info i would hope that someone who catches it messages me to let me know. Cause i would never want to give wrong info out hugsssssssssssss
  • deanea
    deanea Posts: 1,437
    You are right 5 pounds is 5pounds, i know in a few posts i have stated the maybe the reason they arent seing the wieght come off as much is that they are gaining mustle weight but it wasnt my intention that mustle weight more then fat. I hope this wasnt for me cause if i give out the wrong info i would hope that someone who catches it messages me to let me know. Cause i would never want to give wrong info out hugsssssssssssss


    I wouldn't worry about it, we all say things that sound a little different then we mean, computer communication is difficult, because you can't get and give feedback really well!:flowerforyou: :wink:
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
    You are right 5 pounds is 5pounds, i know in a few posts i have stated the maybe the reason they arent seing the wieght come off as much is that they are gaining mustle weight but it wasnt my intention that mustle weight more then fat. I hope this wasnt for me cause if i give out the wrong info i would hope that someone who catches it messages me to let me know. Cause i would never want to give wrong info out hugsssssssssssss


    I wouldn't worry about it, we all say things that sound a little different then we mean, computer communication is difficult, because you can't get and give feedback really well!:flowerforyou: :wink:

    Oh, is that ever true. :flowerforyou:

    That being said, I think the point about body composition is really an important one. So often we obsess about scale weight, when really it's no indication of our overall health and fitness.
  • JulieB21
    JulieB21 Posts: 492
    Just for clarification-I didn't come up with this. I got it from http://www.onemorebite-weightloss.com/muscle-to-fat.html. I didn't notice til I posted that I neglected to put the link in there. I just think it's important to know that fat and muscle weigh the same thing, but are, in fact, very different in many other ways....
  • AlbertSchwartz
    AlbertSchwartz Posts: 810
    The correct way to state the muscle weighs more than fat scenario is, "Muscle is heavier by volume than fat."

    Or denser :bigsmile:
  • AlbertSchwartz
    AlbertSchwartz Posts: 810
    The correct way to state the muscle weighs more than fat scenario is, "Muscle is heavier by volume than fat."

    Or denser :bigsmile:

    How the hell did that happen???? I'm not a spammer...
  • greekgyrl02
    greekgyrl02 Posts: 123
    :happy:

    Yes this is true, this is why you cannot always measure your fitness or goals on the scale. I weighed 152 last week and my body fat is 11.75%. My weight last night was 155, I've been doing a heavy muscle growth protocol in the gym. The weight Ive gained is in muscle not fat. A beginner however could be discouraged by seeing the scale go up thinking oh my god im getting bigger! The correct way to measure your bodyfat and soft tape measurements. Muscle is denser then fat and it is a little heavier. A cubic inch of muscle weighs more than a cubic inch of fat. This is a fact. So yes muscle does weight more then fat.
  • MontanaGirl
    MontanaGirl Posts: 1,251 Member
    It weighs more by volume, but a pound is still a pound. I guess when I read some one say "muscle weighs more than fat" I mentally translate that to by volume. Sometimes, you have to read between the lines a little - but still the info needs to be stated sometimes so we don't forget and so people who aren't aware have the info :flowerforyou:
  • greekgyrl02
    greekgyrl02 Posts: 123
    It isnt equal to a pound is a pound though. A pound of fat is not equal to a pound of muscle due to the hydrogen concentration. And it also depends on the temp. of the fat. Muscle weighs more than fat because muscle cells that compose muscle are denser than fat cells. Why is this? Because fat cell cytoplasm contains mostly oils (lipids), whereas muscle cell cytoplasm contains mostly contractile proteins (myosin and actin) suspended in an aqueous (watery) environment. Lipids in general are less dense than water. You can prove this by mixing salad oil with water in a bottle and shaking it. Eventually, the oil will separate from the water and float to the top to form a lighter layer floating on top of the water. This lowered density of lipids make fatty tissue less heavy than muscle.
  • JulieB21
    JulieB21 Posts: 492
    So are we talking half a pound or a couple of grams? A pound is a pound-whether it be feathers or bricks.....
  • greekgyrl02
    greekgyrl02 Posts: 123
    Your funny, your set on the pound is pound thing huh...Think of it this way...say you have two ballons...one is filled with flour (the muscle) the other is half air half flour (the fat) on the scale which one will weigh more and be more dense and heavy? As far as a few grams or lbs, it all depends on the person and what kinds of fat they have in there body. Not all fat is as dense as others. It depends on the person.
  • MontanaGirl
    MontanaGirl Posts: 1,251 Member
    Yes, the flour will weigh more than the half flour - it is more dense, by volume. But 1 lb is still 1 lb. No matter the density. 1 cubic inch of muscle will weigh more than 1 cubic inch of fat, because of volume but 1 lb is still 16 oz is still 1 lb, no matter the volume.

    All fat may not have the same density - or weight by volume, but 1 lb of fat is still 1 lb of fat, weather it takes up 2 inches or 3 inches - still 1 lb.

    Yes - we are stuck on it because it is inaccurate to say 1 lb is not 1 lb!!
  • MargieM
    MargieM Posts: 2,248 Member
    Your funny, your set on the pound is pound thing huh...Think of it this way...say you have two ballons...one is filled with flour (the muscle) the other is half air half flour (the fat) on the scale which one will weigh more and be more dense and heavy? As far as a few grams or lbs, it all depends on the person and what kinds of fat they have in there body. Not all fat is as dense as others. It depends on the person.

    You are right and you used great images... but don't confuse volume with weight. A pound is a pound, no matter what. Now, the balloon with all flour will be smaller at a pound than the balloon with flour and air at a pound. That is due to density and volume, not weight. So a pound of fat, no matter what kind, will take up more space than a pound of muscle. Which is why losing inches and dropping clothing sizes is a much better indication of progress than the scale. Which is what we are all saying I think, just in several different ways! :laugh:
  • JulieB21
    JulieB21 Posts: 492
    Your funny, your set on the pound is pound thing huh...

    Not trying to be funny...I'm just set on it cause a pound is a pound.
  • greekgyrl02
    greekgyrl02 Posts: 123
    Im sorry I wasnt trying to come off like haha your funny. I hope the explanations helped
  • JulieB21
    JulieB21 Posts: 492
    Im sorry I wasnt trying to come off like haha your funny. I hope the explanations helped

    I'm not sure who you are referring to, but I'm all set. A pound is a pound.
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