Does A Pound of Muscle Weigh More Then A Pound of Fat?

A pound is a pound it doesn't matter if it is being measured in feathers, fat, lead or muscle.  Now here is where some of the confusion lies.  One pound of muscle is actually smaller in size then one pound of fat.  When you consider the size of a pound of lean muscle it is roughly the size of a baseball and the size of one pound of fat is roughly the size of a softball then it is easy to see why people may think a pound of fat weighs more then a pound of muscle - it doesn't.

Because one pound of fat is larger in size then one pound of muscle a person who carries around more fatty tissue will look larger then a person of the same weight who carries around more muscle tissue, even though they are the same weight.
When someone is trying to lose weight who looses inches but stays the same weight, that simply means they are loosing the fatty tissue and gaining muscle tissue.  Often times people get disappointed in their weight loss endeavors when they tip the scales and show the same weight results as they did the week before.  They go through the routine and get measured to find out they have lost inches but stayed the same weight.  There is too much emphasis put on the actual "weight" numbers and not enough emphasis put on the size numbers.  Say you weigh 180 pound this week with a 38 inch waist.  Next week you hit the scale and weigh 180 pounds but your waist is now 37 inches.  That should be a big deal to you!  You may be burning inches off your body but remaining close to or the same weight and get discouraged.  DONT!!  This is awesome, your body is changing, the inches lost relates in to a healthier, trimmer and slimmer you!
If you think one pound is not a significant amount the next time your in the grocery store pick up a pound of butter.  One pound is a big deal when you really get the scope correct in your mind.  Since the pound of muscle is smaller in size then the pound of fat as it relates to your body, the muscle will take up less space naturally trimming you down.
For those that think going to the gym is going to pack on the muscle and you'll end up looking like a bodybuilder, please loose that train of thought.  If you are overweight to begin with and you end up losing the fatty tissue and gaining muscle - but remember one pound of muscle is smaller then one pound of fat.  Your not going to come out of the gym looking like a bodybuilder unless that is your goal, you are extremely focused and on a very disciplined regimen both in exercise and food consumption that is specifically designed to pack on muscle mass.  To try and clear up some other misconceptions out there muscles do not get enormous in size overnight.  It takes years and years of dedicated training.  Muscles do grow and they should to promote a healthy lifestyle but not in the way your thinking.  Muscle growth is a slow well thought out and carefully trained process.
So the next time you think that losing several inches in your body measurements is not a big deal, think again.  Your muscles are getting stronger, your fatty deposits are leaving your body and your on your way to a more healthy, fitter, slimmer you!
Thanks for visiting the blog!  Until next time,
Kel
Please visit my other blog to check out my progress on my weight loss quest! Click here for my other blog