Fat pounds vs Muscle pounds

[DJJ]

I here people say often that muscle weighs more than fat.

I've taken this around my mind a few times.

I think that 5lbs of fat weighs the same as 5lbs of muscle.
The muscle has less volume or takes up less space.

Does that sound right?

[neutronnorman]

Originally Posted by DJJ

I here people say often that muscle weighs more than fat.

I've taken this around my mind a few times.

I think that 5lbs of fat weighs the same as 5lbs of muscle.
The muscle has less volume or takes up less space.

Does that sound right?

Totally correct. A kilogram of fat = A kilogram of muscle. The density of muscle, where density is defined as rho = mass / volume, is greater than the density of fat. The less the volume, the higher the density.

So what happens if the volume approaches zero from the positive side? (lim, V ->0+) Singularity! Well, that's another subject...

[Eama]

I suppose the "muscle weighs more than fat" thing basically means that the same size chunk of muscle weighs more than the same size chunk of fat.

Perhaps it would be better to say that muscle is smaller than fat. Or just... er... muscle = good, fat = bad. Hee hee!

[FwL]

What they're saying is .... you could lose a bunch of fat... gain a little muscle... and come out weighing the same, because....


"Muscle wieghs more than fat."



* I make no claim as to the veracity of such a statement. I'm just filling in the missing details.

[neutronnorman]

Originally Posted by FwL

What they're saying is .... you could lose a bunch of fat... gain a little muscle... and come out weighing the same, because....


"Muscle wieghs more than fat."



* I make no claim as to the veracity of such a statement. I'm just filling in the missing details.

Wrong, muscle mass weighs exactly the same as fat mass. The volume is different. It's like one pound of feathers weighs the same as one pound of lead. The volume of space one pound of feathers occupies is much larger than the volume of space one pound of lead occupies. It's all about density being a function, f(V), of volume.

[neutronnorman]

Originally Posted by Eama

I suppose the "muscle weighs more than fat" thing basically means that the same size chunk of muscle weighs more than the same size chunk of fat.

Perhaps it would be better to say that muscle is smaller than fat. Or just... er... muscle = good, fat = bad. Hee hee!

Denser! Denser! Denser!...trust me...

[FwL]

Originally Posted by neutronnorman

Wrong, muscle mass weighs exactly the same as fat mass. The volume is different. It's like one pound of feathers weighs the same as one pound of lead. The volume of space one pound of feathers occupies is much larger than the volume of space one pound of lead occupies. It's all about density being a function, f(V), of volume.

Yeah... so you could exchange a truck load of feathers for a wheelbarrow of lead and come out weighing the same.


No?

[neutronnorman]

Originally Posted by FwL

Yeah... so you could exchange a truck load of feathers for a wheelbarrow of lead and come out weighing the same.


No?

Exactly! That's why I use skin fold calipers to measure my progress.

Also, a very low sodium diet seems to help. At least, it helps getting rid of bulges, etc. I dropped down from a 40" to a 37" inch waist measurment (I'm 71"tall) eating sodium only found naturally occuring in food. I do use Mrs. Dash steak rub for my burgers, etc. I'm going to try to get my waist measurement down to 31"-32".

[chinadoll]

It's a density issue as Norman says. But If you are a woman 5'8" and weigh a nice dense 165 and have more muscle, you have a nice taut, toned and healthy body. (my goal weight/condition)

If you are 165 and do nothing and the weight is from fat, your measurements are significantly larger and you are significantly flabbier.

Its kind of like popcorn kernels. The muscle is the unpopped kernels. The fat is the popped kernels. They weigh the same popped or unpopped but the volume difference is huge!

[Eama]

so you could exchange a truck load of feathers for a wheelbarrow of lead and come out weighing the same.

Yeah, so muscles (lead) are smaller (because of their higher density) than fat (feathers). Perhaps instead of 'smaller,' you could say 'takes up less room.'