Muscle vs Fat Myths

musclevsfatweb-300x300In the quest for good health and fitness, it’s important to understand what your body is actually doing while you’re watching it change. There are a few myths regarding muscle and fat that are still circulating. Here is some info about these common myths:

1) Does muscle weigh more than fat? I always answer this question with a question. What weighs more: a ton of bricks or a ton of feathers? Answer: they weigh the same. Which takes up more space: a ton of bricks or a ton of feathers? Answer: a ton of feathers. Muscle, like bricks, are more dense and take up less space. If you gain 5lbs of muscle and lose 5lbs of fat, you will weigh the same, but your body will be smaller!

2) When you lift weights, you turn fat into muscle. Fat and muscle are two entirely different tissues, so there is no converting one into the other. When you first start a resistance training program, you are building muscle and losing fat simultaneously, which causes the change you see in your body shape.

3) I just want to “tone” my muscles. The word “tone” when used in reference to exercise is a marketing term to sell fitness programs to women that are scared of looking like a bodybuilder in a magazine. “Toning muscle” by that definition is not an action that your body can perform. You can build muscle and lose fat to get visible muscle definition, which is usually the look women want when they use the word tone. And, it takes years of focus and dedication to look like a bodybuilder in a magazine. It doesn’t happen to anyone by accident!