Why it is said that muscle is heavier than fat?
Asked by yrlith on Aug 05, 2009
in Fitness
I was told that when I include strength exercise, I should not check the scale at
the begining, because muscle is heavier. But a pound is a pound - isn't it? I do not think they are heavier, but it is easier to develop muscle than get rid of the fat?
Answer
This reminds me of that old riddle, "What's heavier: a pound of lead or a pound of feathers? A pound is a pound, but when a material is dense it takes up less space, and muscle is denser than fat. One pound of muscle is the size of one baseball whereas one pound of fat looks like three Nerf balls. And so, for two people of the same weight, the one with more muscle will look smaller. Finally, it is not easier to develop muscle than to get rid of fat. Muscle development requires strength-training and an adequate intake of calories and protein, but to lose fat, you need only eat fewer calories. (Keep in mind, this explanation is overly simplistic.)
So you can keep track of what you eat - which enables you to analyze your foods and receive the following:
- Health Score of your overall diet
- Warning when you approach your daily calorie limit
- Overview of the good and bad nutrients