Does Muscle Really Weigh More Than Fat???

Like many people, you may believe that muscle weighs more than fat. When I hear this statement, which I hear constantly, I politely smile and patiently await my turn to speak. This theory can be quickly proven wrong based on the old riddle; what weighs more a pound of feathers or a pound of bricks? The answer is simple, a pound is a pound no matter what it is!

Muscle vs Fat: Clearing Up This Misconception

Common sense tells us that a pound of muscle and a pound of fat weigh the exact same weight, a pound.  This is true, however each has its own density with muscle being the more dense of the two. What does this mean?? This means if you were to examine 3 pounds of muscle and 3 pounds of fat side by side the fat would take up more volume, or space than the muscle. That is important to know specifically when your goal is to achieve the lean muscle look as opposed to the flabby look of fat.

So Why Do People Say Muscle Weighs More Than Fat?

I can only speak from the situations that i've encountered through out my fitness experience, but I find that most people use that misconception to justify weight gain. For example, an individual who has gained three pounds this week and has been working out may be quick to blame it on muscle. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it is physically impossible to gain 3 pounds of muscle in a week! It is possible however to transform fat into muscle without losing any weight at all so its understandable why people can get frustrated.

The Truth Behind Muscle And Fat

The first step is abandoning the muscle weighs more than fat misconception, and stop focusing on the number registered on the scale. As a matter of fact, forget about the scale all together for a while and start paying more attention to how your feeling, the way your clothes fit and the physical transformation of your body. The second step would be to stop looking at muscle as the enemy and embrace it.  One thing to remember is your not going to become a body builder by going to the gym, that would be like saying if you get into a car and drive you will become a NASCAR driver, its not going to just happen.  Muscle enhances our metabolism, so a pound of muscle will burn more calories at rest than a pound of fat. Essentially, this means that by simply sitting at home watching TV you will be burning more calories just by having more muscle. Muscle also improves bone density and assists in preventing the loss of muscle mass helping individuals stay active as they get older. 1Team Fitness can show you the many ways to improve lean muscle development while burning fat!  Check out our packages today, including our new 'Bride to Be' package https://1teamfitness.com/our-programs/bride-to-be/ for gut busting results!!