Muscle vs. Fat = They weigh the same, so why does the scale

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  • AmerTunsi
    AmerTunsi Posts: 655 Member
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    I think this phrase that muscle weighs more than fat needs to be revised to fat takes up more space than fat. A pound is a pound is a pound ... that is the WEIGHT of the object. The volume is what is the the difference.

    As for the scale if you wake up one day and you are 5lbs heavier ... well unless you consumed 17500 calories for each of those lbs plus the calories for your BMR .. you should assume that the majority of it are fluids. You will often see this when you consume a lot of sodium as well as when you do strength training and tear the fibers in your muscles.


    The best way to remove the excess fluid is actually to drink more water and exercise as well as monitor your sodium intake.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    I think this phrase that muscle weighs more than fat needs to be revised to fat takes up more space than fat. A pound is a pound is a pound ... that is the WEIGHT of the object. The volume is what is the the difference.

    Umm...quick question then...why discuss comparative weights of anything then, ever? I mean...clearly everything weighs precisely the same as everything else, right?

    Seriously!!...the volume is only different if you're not comparing weight...and the density is ALWAYS different.

    Why is this so hard for people to understand?
  • Trig0r
    Trig0r Posts: 47
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    fat-v-muscle.jpg

    and its just water like everyone else said.. don't weigh after working out.


    Can we get this image and make a post a sticky, the number of people that come on here and go on about the fat vs muscle thing gets a bit tiring, then of course you get the smart *kitten* that starts to bring density vs surface area argument into it..

    Can we not just bottom line it somehow..

    1lb of fat takes up more space than 1lb of muscle.
    You can loose 2 inches off your waist but weigh more than when you started.
    Muscle does not weigh more than fat.
  • Vegetablearian
    Vegetablearian Posts: 148 Member
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    I have seen a few posts where people say muscle weighs more than fat ... not strictly true a 1lb is a 1lb so 1lb weighs a lb , 1 lb of feathers weighs the same as 1lb of lead.

    What you really mean is muscle is more dense than fat. 1 lb of feathers would be a bigger volume and 1lb of lead would be a tiny amount.

    Im a scientist sorry I cant help it mass, density and weight are not the same thing and it drives me insane when people say otherwise. If I use those three words interchangeably id be sacked as my work would make no sense.

    Science is the answer.

    Yes Miss, science is the answer. So...if you are comparing specific weights of two different items...lets say...oh, fat and muscle for example...what's the NECESSARY control that HAS to be utilized?

    I'll let all you 1lber's think on that a moment while those of us that live in the really real world take a deep breath to regain our sanity.

    /sigh!

    There...now, the answer is volume. In order to compare weight, you MUST assume the same volume!! Every moron knows 1lb equals 1lb. How come you all can't figure out that when someone says muscle weighs more than fat, a CONTROLLED, EQUAL volume HAS to be assumed?

    Lord this gives me a headache...but its like a loose tooth. I just can't help but argue against narrow mindedness :l.

    You my friend are talking about density not weight , density = mass x volume. If people would just say density and muscle is denser than fat there wouldnt be a problem
  • vidoardes
    vidoardes Posts: 70 Member
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    I think the easiest way to compare it, and explain it is using the term volume.

    1lb of fat = 1lb of muscle = 1lb of feathers = 1 lb of lead

    Weight is a product of gravity, hence why you could lift a car on the moon despite the fact it hasn't changed size, it has little no weight but it's volume is the same.

    1 cm^3 fat does NOT equal 1cm^3 of muscle when you weight them, so for a given volume, muscle weighs more than fat.

    The way to work out if what you are storing is muscle increase is simple, measure the circumference of various body parts i.e waist, hips, arms, thighs, calves e.t.c

    When an overweight person starts to work out, the volume of fat you loose is much greater than the volume of muscle you gain, so despite the fact that muscle is more dense than fat, the amount of fat you loose compared to the amount of muscle you gain is disproportionate, so your weight will go down. If you less heavy, you are replacing fat with muscle at a much closer volume, so it is possible put on lbs, but your measurements should get smaller in most places. If you are thin to start off with, you will see an increase in these measurements, but your body fat % should stay the same (or decrease a little depending on your build).
  • twinmom01
    twinmom01 Posts: 854 Member
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    1) In the short term, any gain following exercise will be water retention, as muscle fibres retain water in the repair process.
    2) in the lnger term, muscle in denser than fat, so 1lb of muscle takes up less space than 1lb of fat, so you may be slimmer but still weigh the same.

    Tis is why it is important never to judge just by what the scales are saying.

    ^^^^^ this right here...

    Also ...it is very hard for women to actually "gain" muscle - it really irks me when people say "Oh well you maybe are gaining muscle" - chances of that happening is very slim at least to stall out or increase the scale on a daily or weekly basis...when you work out and use your muscles you create tiny little tears - water and amino acids help to repair those tears and will make the muscle stronger and leaner over time - hormones, water and muscle repair from working out will all affect the number on the scale.

    What you can do is eat and workout in such a way you are burning fat...fat has a greater volume...so you may see slow on the scale but see a huge difference in your body shape and the way your clothes fit
  • tubbs_nomore
    tubbs_nomore Posts: 58
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    A pound of fat DOES weigh the same as a pound of muscle. Same as a pound of feathers DOES weigh the same as a pound of lead. A pound is a pound. What makes the difference is the density of each

    AMEN!!
  • gracienkaidens_momma
    gracienkaidens_momma Posts: 379 Member
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    Thank you all for your input. I am sorry if this sparked frustration and arguing. I was just wanting to get some feedback. I am convinced that it's just water weight. I am going to up my intake of water and stay away from sodium and continue exercising. Thank you all for the great advice.

    And I love the pic of the muscle vs. fat!! That is very inspiring and motivating me to want to keep at it!
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    I have seen a few posts where people say muscle weighs more than fat ... not strictly true a 1lb is a 1lb so 1lb weighs a lb , 1 lb of feathers weighs the same as 1lb of lead.

    What you really mean is muscle is more dense than fat. 1 lb of feathers would be a bigger volume and 1lb of lead would be a tiny amount.

    Im a scientist sorry I cant help it mass, density and weight are not the same thing and it drives me insane when people say otherwise. If I use those three words interchangeably id be sacked as my work would make no sense.

    Science is the answer.

    Yes Miss, science is the answer. So...if you are comparing specific weights of two different items...lets say...oh, fat and muscle for example...what's the NECESSARY control that HAS to be utilized?

    I'll let all you 1lber's think on that a moment while those of us that live in the really real world take a deep breath to regain our sanity.

    /sigh!

    There...now, the answer is volume. In order to compare weight, you MUST assume the same volume!! Every moron knows 1lb equals 1lb. How come you all can't figure out that when someone says muscle weighs more than fat, a CONTROLLED, EQUAL volume HAS to be assumed?

    Lord this gives me a headache...but its like a loose tooth. I just can't help but argue against narrow mindedness :l.

    You my friend are talking about density not weight , density = mass x volume. If people would just say density and muscle is denser than fat there wouldnt be a problem

    Perhaps...but this still leaves me wondering (if everything on the planet 'weighs' the same as everything else) what the purpose of ever comparing the weight of one thing to another would be...other than as a tool to determine density, which is something those of us who aren't scientists could give a damn less about (not counting fat/muscle...as apparently this is THE hot topic of MFP).

    Believe me, I fully comprehend density, and fully comprehend that 1lb = 1lb. My point is, when anyone says muscle weighs more than fat, they are assuming (completely logically...which is hilarious because ever single '1lb' person ignores that statement like it's going to bite them if they look at it) a controlled volume...which makes it TRUE!

    Again, why is this so hard to acknowledge? I'm not an idiot, I know 1lb = 1lb...thus, since (again) I'm not an idiot, I must be assuming a controlled volume like EVERY OTHER intelligent person on the planet would.

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