whats the weight difference between muscle and fat

[stickman]

Im a pretty big guy and decided I wanted to slim the waist line down. I know you cant spot reduce but the only place i really have a lot of fat is the mid section. but anyway When I started I weighed 280 pounds, Ive been lifting pretty hard and walking. my 38 inch waist pants were extreemley tight to get on a month and a half ago now they are starting to fit a little better. I can tell just by looking my stomach isnt as big, but I really havent lost any weight to speak of. so is it possible that the muscle im adding is taking up my weight compared to the fat im losing. Im about 6 foot tall. but the main question is how much more does muscle weigh than fat

[popopopo]

What's the weight difference between a pound of feather and a pound of cement? There is no weight difference, just a misconception. Fat are huge globules of squishy compounds, while muscles are dense fibers interlaced with each other. Putting it more plainly, muscle is denser than fat. You might shrink down to a 36" waist and still weigh the same if you fill out your chest/legs/arms with muscle, even though you'll look way skinnier.

[Xtcme]

Im a pretty big guy and decided I wanted to slim the waist line down. I know you cant spot reduce but the only place i really have a lot of fat is the mid section. but anyway When I started I weighed 280 pounds, Ive been lifting pretty hard and walking. my 38 inch waist pants were extreemley tight to get on a month and a half ago now they are starting to fit a little better. I can tell just by looking my stomach isnt as big, but I really havent lost any weight to speak of. so is it possible that the muscle im adding is taking up my weight compared to the fat im losing. Im about 6 foot tall. but the main question is how much more does muscle weigh than fat

Um..I wore a size 38 , Now wear a size 34 (32 some pants). It was all Diet and Cardio. When I got down to Ideal weight I started putting muscle on. My waist hasnt grown...at all. My ass has (squats DAMN THEM) but my waist has been same.


That mid section Fat will come off. But that is 90% diet that hits that part!

[Reality_Check]

Yes obviously a pound of fat weighs the same as a pound of muscle.

Regarding density, a very quick search of the internet shows that

1. The density of mammalian skeletal muscle is 1.06 g/ml.
"... 1.06 g/cm-3 which is the density of mammalian skeletal muscle"

Source for quote: The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological
Sciences and Medical Sciences 56:B191-B197 (2001)
Specific Force Deficit in Skeletal Muscles of Old Rats Is Partially
Explained by the Existence of Denervated Muscle Fibers
Melanie G. Urbancheka, Elisa B. Pickenb, Loree K. Kalliainenc and
William M. Kuzon, Jr.a,d
http://biomed.gerontologyjournals.or.../56/5/B191#R23

Reference given by the authors: Mendez J, Keys A, 1960. Density and
composition of mammalian muscle. Metabolism 9:184-188.

2. The density of adipose tissue (fat) is about 0.9 g/ml
"...by multiplying the density of adipose tissue (0.9196 g/ml)"
Source: Association of adiponectin and resistin with adipose tissue
compartments, insulin resistance and dyslipidaemia
M. S. Farvid1, T. W. K. Ng2, D. C. Chan2, P. H. R. Barrett2 and G. F. Watts2*
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi...6.2004.00410.x

Thus muscle is (1.06/0.92=) 1.15 times more dense than fat. So you're looking at about a 15% volume difference between the same weight of muscle and fat.

[Reality_Check]

Interesting to note that muscle is more dense than water (density of water is 1g per ml), while fat is less dense than water, so fat floats but muscle doesn't.

[chodan9]

[Old-Time-Lifter]

Interesting to note that muscle is more dense than water (density of water is 1g per ml), while fat is less dense than water, so fat floats but muscle doesn't.

Back in college, I finally learned to swim. In class I was the only one who just couldn't float. I could lay back and put my arms to my sides and I'd drop like a stone to the bottom of the 6' section of the pool.

Tredding water was a really bugger for me!

[3speed]

Interesting to note that muscle is more dense than water (density of water is 1g per ml), while fat is less dense than water, so fat floats but muscle doesn't.

Back in college, I finally learned to swim. In class I was the only one who just couldn't float. I could lay back and put my arms to my sides and I'd drop like a stone to the bottom of the 6' section of the pool.

Tredding water was a really bugger for me!

One of the requirements for getting certified for open water diving is being able to float on your back. When I went through the class - many years ago - my instructor finally passed me even though I never did float. My body will hang in the water at about a 45* angle with just the tip of my forehead breaking the surface. Treadding water is a bugger for me as well.

[SteveM70]

Is this the ten pounds of fat vs. ten pounds of muscle?

If so, I seem to recall in person the fat was about the size of a football while the ten pound of muscle was closer to softball size.

[chodan9]

Is this the ten pounds of fat vs. ten pounds of muscle?

If so, I seem to recall in person the fat was about the size of a football while the ten pound of muscle was closer to softball size.

this is just one pound I believe, the size difference is the important part though, 1 pound or 10 the relative difference would be the same.

[Minotaur]

Is this the ten pounds of fat vs. ten pounds of muscle?

If so, I seem to recall in person the fat was about the size of a football while the ten pound of muscle was closer to softball size.

A pound of fat is about the size of a pint of oil, or a one lb tub of butter. One lb of muscle is about the size of a baseball.

[SteveM70]

this is just one pound I believe, the size difference is the important part though, 1 pound or 10 the relative difference would be the same.

Agreed! Just this weekend I seen some family members and friends that I had'nt seen since X-mas. Several of them commented on the weight I had lost. Truth is I am 3 pounds heavier than when they last seen me. Guess I'm on the right track!!

[chodan9]

Agreed! Just this weekend I seen some family members and friends that I had'nt seen since X-mas. Several of them commented on the weight I had lost. Truth is I am 3 pounds heavier than when they last seen me. Guess I'm on the right track!!

thats always cool!
grats

[McJimmie]

Just visualise a one pound steak, versus one pound of lard.





*because fitness isn't a co-incidence

[tomdana]

Um..I wore a size 38 , Now wear a size 34 (32 some pants). It was all Diet and Cardio. When I got down to Ideal weight I started putting muscle on. My waist hasnt grown...at all. My ass has (squats DAMN THEM) but my waist has been same.


That mid section Fat will come off. But that is 90% diet that hits that part!

Have you noticed as the said squat ass has grown the pants fit tighter though the abs are not the issue?

[ChewieT]

Interesting to note that muscle is more dense than water (density of water is 1g per ml), while fat is less dense than water, so fat floats but muscle doesn't.

Thats the reason why you can work out your % body fat in a submersion tank

[Reality_Check]

My body will hang in the water at about a 45* angle with just the tip of my forehead breaking the surface. Treadding water is a bugger for me as well.

My experience exactly.

When I had swimming lessons in my teens that was my experience, exactly as you describe it. For the life of me I could not float on my back, and while I could keep myself afloat for a long time, I could not swim with any sort of speed (much to my shame in compulsory school swimming carnivals). (I did pretty well in long distance running though).

I thought there was something wrong with me, I was badly co-ordinated or something, didn't understand why I couldn't learn swimming, the other kids did OK but I would allways sink like a rock.

In hind sight, knowing that at he time I also tested at 9% body fat by the PE instructor, I now know why.

Mind you now days at over 20%, probably closer to 30% body fat, I float on my back in the sea with no effort at all. Its great fun, something I will miss when I get leaner (will aim for about 20%).

[stickman]

thanks for the info that picture i guess tells it all.

[justboo2u]

Back in college, I finally learned to swim. In class I was the only one who just couldn't float. I could lay back and put my arms to my sides and I'd drop like a stone to the bottom of the 6' section of the pool.

Tredding water was a really bugger for me!

When I was taking swimming lessons (around 10yr) I had this teacher who (supposedly) was a bodybuilder then... he couldnt 'normally' float either, and when we were taught to float on our backs (the next teacher) showed us about using our hands as 'flippers' to help... which is what that guy had to do since he had 'no' fat on him...

Never had that problem... yet!