According to my exercise physiologist, muscle does NOT weigh more than fat! For example, one pound of fat and one pound of muscle weigh??????? THE EXACT SAME...one pound. Muscle makes you smaller because as some on the boards say, fat is fluffy. Fat puffs you out, muscle makes you lean. Deanna

Yes...a pound is a pound is a pound. True.

But the saying refers to (as you basically said) a volume comparison. In that respect, muscle most definitely weighs more than fat.

And we want our bodies to have less volume, right? LOL

I know I do! :biggrin1:

One pound of lead and one pound of feathers weigh the same as well (wink). The point is the "fluffy" part -- i.e. that one pound of muscle takes up less space than one pound of fat. So you can physiclly get smaller without the number on the scale changing just by gaining muscle and losing fat.

Make sense? (Surely thinking about this builds brain muscles and burns fat, right?)

put a pound of muscle next to a pound of fat...see which is "LARGER". Sure a pound of each WEIGHS the same, but they sure APPEAR differently on the body. 30 pounds of muscle is healthier and improves appearance...30 pounds of fat is unhealthy and gives the appearance of being larger.

I believe this is what people are talking about. Here is 5lbs of fat compared to 5LBs of Muscle.

Of course muscle doesn't weigh more than fat, pound for pound that is (since a lb or a kg or water weighs the same a a lb or kg of air-or see the good example Julie NYC provided). But a cubic inch of fat does weigh less than a cubic inch of muscle. Here's a visual, I think it helps.

Thanks for the visuals Chris & Faith...that's exactly what I was trying to say

Were you reading my mind ? LOL

According to my exercise physiologist, muscle does NOT weigh more than fat! For example, one pound of fat and one pound of muscle weigh??????? THE EXACT SAME...one pound. Muscle makes you smaller because as some on the boards say, fat is fluffy. Fat puffs you out, muscle makes you lean. Deanna

You are kidding, right? Please tell me you are.

A pound of fat weighs the same as a pound of muscle, but a pound of fat is going to take up more space in a box than a pound of muscle will. So the question is not if a pound of fat weighs the same as a pound of muscle. That's just silly.

Yes, a pound is a pound.

But its a bit like the starvation mode thing - some truth to it but its been taken into common parlance and overexaggerated.

It seems whenever somebody starts exercising and a week later they've gained a pound or two they say "oh, but I've put on muscle". Ahem. Normal people with normal person capacities for exercise do NOT gain a pound of muscle in only a week. It takes months and months and months to build enough muscle to make a significant difference to your weight - and most women cant really do it, certainly not in a week. No matter how many Protein shakes they drink.

Yes, a pound is a pound.

But its a bit like the starvation mode thing - some truth to it but its been taken into common parlance and overexaggerated.

It seems whenever somebody starts exercising and a week later they've gained a pound or two they say "oh, but I've put on muscle". Ahem. Normal people with normal person capacities for exercise do NOT gain a pound of muscle in only a week. It takes months and months and months to build enough muscle to make a significant difference to your weight - and most women cant really do it, certainly not in a week. No matter how many Protein shakes they drink.

:clap2: Right on! My thoughts exactly on that particular subject. I have an aunt that was a world class pro body builder for 8 years or so. She'd tell you the same thing.

Thank you Jacqui, that is exactly what I was trying to say, only I didn't say it!!! You are great!! People always say, well, I exercised extra hard this week and gained three pounds...oh well, it must be muscle because muscle weighs more...that was the point I was TRYING to get across. Deanna

Oh and thanks for the pictures, that really makes me want to ride an extra 10 miles or so a DAY!!!! YUCK!! Lean muscle is BEAUTIFUL!! Deanna

No, I don't think anyone gains three pounds of muscle in one week, but it would be nice.

The way I understand it (and this is according to Bob Greene ) you probably will gain weight when you start excercising. This has nothing to do with gaining muscle, but because the way your body responds when you start tearing down fibers to make muscle. In other words, when you start working out, you'll also start retaining alot of Water. You should get discouraged if you gain weight at first because it will work its self out eventually.

You should get discouraged if you gain weight at first because it will work its self out eventually.

I mean't you SHOULDN'T get discouraged.

It's too early to be posting...

Pound of lead vs. a pound of feathers......same

It all boils down to bulk and mass....