Muscle Does Not Weigh More Than Fat

 This is one of the most common things I hear - even from trainers.

"Muscle weighs more than fat"

NO.

Muscle is more dense than fat.

Muscle takes up less space than fat.

But muscle, does not weigh more than fat.

A pound is a pound is a pound is a pound....and so on.

A pound of feathers will take up way more room than a pound of iron.

But, what do you have at the end of it? A pound.

A good example I have used prior is - taking a large piece of craft paper - expanded in theory we will call it 5 lbs of fat (imagine this paper flat out and long). Then I press and condense it into a ball, removing the spaces, creating a much more dense material. This is 5 lbs of muscle. Same 5 lbs, we just compacted it - more dense. No weight change.

There are many factors that influence weight. One being that muscle being built is replacing the weight of the fat lost. This means that someone can weigh a lot more than you may think because they carry a lot of muscle mass. It also goes to show another reason why the scale IS NOT reliable. Pictures and measurements will show you if your body is working on re-compositioning, a scale may not.

I played a weight game where I posted a picture of myself and had people guess my weight. I am almost 30 lbs heavier than the lowest guess! Most guesses were an average of 15 off. No one got it right, even after a hint!

Before you get down over a few ounces or pounds on a scale, please look back and review your pictures or measurements. Weight fluctuations - HAPPEN. If you aren't losing fat, re-comping, or seeing progress it is time to look further into your exercises, nutrition, and possibly hormones! Remember, our bodies are highly comprised of water sometimes it retains more, sometimes we need more. That in itself can change the scale by POUNDS. Stay up on your proper hydration. Freshen Up can help you! Remember from our last chat.....

What is proper hydration?

Proper hydration is officially broke down to:

• About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men
• About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women

Personally, for my clients, I recommend around 1 gallon a day especially for those that are trying to lose weight, gain muscle, and are pretty active. Like all things with fitness, everybody has different levels of what is needed completely. For example, I have a heart condition and my cardiologist prefers I intake between 1-2 gallons a day. BUT the hardest hurdle? Drinking plain water. While some love it, many do not!

A great way to aid in hydration is to mix that Freshen Up in. With so many flavors that mix well, your options are never limited! It is also packed full with vitamins and electrolytes!