Does Muscle Really Weigh More than Fat?

I have heard so many times throughout my life that "muscle weighs more than fat".  This was one of those things that was hard for me to really grasp?  I mean, isn't a pound of one thing going to weigh the same as a pound of something else??  If you have a pound of sand and a pound of feathers, obviously the feathers will be higher in volume but they would still both weigh a pound each if that is your unit of measurement.  A more easily understood statement regarding fat and muscle is to say that a pound of muscle takes up LESS space than a pound of fat.

This takes us back to the idea of measuring progress in ways other than just stepping on our scale.  It is helpful to take into consideration the fit of our clothes.  That is generally a quick indicator!  When beginning a new program or phase, it is best to take your measurements of your chest, waist, hips, thigh, calf, and upper arm.  Although it may not feel so great at the time, make a point to snap those "before" photos.  Before you know it, you will have an "after" and looking at your own progress is encouraging as you continue to press on in your fitness journey.  The fit of your clothes, measurements, and photos will give you a much more complete picture of your progress.  

The scale does not tell the entire story!  This is especially true when you are burning fat and building muscle.  The woman shown in the photograph below weighed in at 130 pounds for both of these images. But what a change in her shape!  Good thing she was not only looking at her scale while rating her progress.

If you are interested in making some changes in your own life, let's go for it!  You will find that it is through your simple everyday decisions and actions that you make progress.  The tricky part is that these are the areas where it is also the easiest to lose ground!  So often we do well in the big moments where we really have to focus on which way to go next.  Think about it.  If you were faced with an entire pan of brownies and were asked if you plan to eat them all today, most of us would say no way!  But take those brownies over the course of four days and we may very well be capable of eating them all.  Making choices in the everyday is where it can all become a bit blurry.  This is where a challenge group can be very helpful!  Contact me for more information on one of my upcoming groups!