NUTR 1322 Basic Nutrition Week 5 Mythbusters

Myth on Muscles Weighing more than Fat

In the video, the lecturer discussed the common myth that muscle weighs more than fat. However, the reality is a pound of muscle and a pound of fat weigh the same. The difference is fat takes up more volume than muscle, meaning it uses more space, because it is less dense than the same measurement of muscle. To be honest, I personally have heard of this concept before, typically from those people who follow a diet or are engaged in sports. I could never understand why anyone would be confused with such a seemingly simple concept. Perhaps, this is because people only take into account the volume and density of muscle and fat, which makes them believe in this myth.

NUTR 1322 Basic Nutrition

As regards how this myth might relate to scale frustration when someone starts working out to lose weight, I think it might develop in the following two directions. First, if a person is not following a healthy meal plan but actively exercises, that person might start gaining muscle but not burning enough fat. As a result, the number on the scale might actually go up, instead of going down. Second, if a person follows all recommendations for meal plan and exercising, that person might see that the number on the scale remains the same. This happens because that person would lose fat and gain lean muscle in approximately the same amounts, resulting in the same weight on the scale. The difference between the two scenarios, the second option would lead to more visible results more quickly than the first, because a healthy meal plan and proper exercising always help people achieve the body of their dreams.