Have you ever hear the saying muscle weighs more than fat?? Well the truth is that when placed on a scale, one pound of fat is going to weigh the same as one pound of muscle just like one pound of bricks is going to weigh the same as one pound of feathers. Where the confusion comes in is that muscle and fat differ in density (muscle is about 18% more dense than fat) and one pound of muscle occupies less space (volume) than one pound of fat. So yes, muscle seems to weigh more because there is a difference in the volume between the two. When a cubic inch of muscle and a cubic inch of fat are measured, the cubic inch of muscle will weigh more. As you add compact muscle mass to the body, body weight may increase. However, pound for pound, muscle and fat weigh the same and when tracking progress of a fitness program, it is very important to look at ALL markers of improvement, and not just the numbers on the scale. And by that I mean inches lost, clothes becoming loose, etc. By looking at the photo below, you can see that five pounds of muscle (pictured on right) is going to take up less space in the body and be a lot less “lumpy” under your skin and in between your organs than the same weight in fat (shown on left). In fact, the difference can be quite dramatic. I would much rather have five pounds of smooth, lean, dense muscle tissue inside of my body than five pounds of bulky, gelatinous fat, and I am guessing you would too :) ! Besides being more compact in the body, there are also many health advantages to increased muscle mass. ➡️Create a leaner physique ➡️Reduce your risk of injury ➡️Increase strength, stability, power and endurance ➡️Improve balance and mobility ➡️Improve the way you feel about yourself ➡️Increase energy and vitality ➡️Improve athletic performance ➡️Create metabolic reserve in times of traumas such as (car accidents and burns) ➡️Increase your metabolic efficiency ➡️Improve insulin sensitivity and improve blood glucose control These are just SOME of the many advantages of having more lean muscle mass. So before you measure your success by the number on the scale ask yourself, are my pants fitting loosely, is my waistline getting smaller, there are examples of NON SCALE VICTORIES :)
Posted on: Sat, 24 Jan 2015 13:42:43 +0000
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