Does muscle really weigh more than fat? Meaning, you could be staying the same weight for like 6 months but "look" ten pounds thinner? Or is that just an excuse?

And how do you know if you aren't losing weight because you are "gaining muscle?" I just feel like people use that as excuse, (but I would love it if it were true!! )

Thanks!

No, it's not just an excuse. Some people look much thinner at a higher weight because they work out. If you would like proof, take a look at this website, which shows how different women at the same weight can look:

http://www.mybodygallery.com/

Muscle is DENSER than fat. Yes someone could look and be leaner and not lose a pound. Absolutely. I don't remember the site but there was a link somewhere on 3FC of a lady who was 155 in 2 pics but in 1 she was way more lean and looked like 15 to 20 pounds lighter.

Do I think people use it as an excuse or a way to comfort someone who isn't losing weight a lot of times when that is probably NOT the case? Definitely!

This is that article:

http://everydaypaleo.com/2011/06/22/...ddicts-part-2/

But know that gaining muscle is hard work and it happens slowly, especially for women. 10lb in a year would be really great. Most of the time, what people are noticing is water weight--muscles hold onto water after exercise as part of their healing process.

Totally possible. You wouldn't gain 10 lbs of muscle unless you had some really unusual genetics but between increased glyocgen stores and muscle gain this would totally be possible for someone new to lifting.

It helps to think of it like this - a cup of muscle would weigh more than a cup of fat. If you compare a 200 pound couch potato to a 200 pound football player of the same height, there is going to be a world of difference in how they look.

Now, when people start walking slowly around the neighborhood and then say they didn't lose anything that week because they "put on muscle" - no. If building muscle were that easy, there would be no industry of muscle building supplements and body builders wouldn't have to work so hard.

A pound of muscle weighs a pound, a pound of fat, weighs a pound. A pound of rocks weighs a pound, a pound of feathers, weighs a pound.

However, the muscle and rocks take up less space!

My weight hasn't changed in 6 months, however, due to a good strength training program, I've lost 6 inches. This is a combination of bicep, over breast, under breast, waist, hips, and the biggest part of the thigh.

Building muscle is incredibly difficult, especially for women (though some people have an easier time than others). After the initial "noob gains", it goes on pretty slowly, but it's definitely possible to lose no weight but have dramatic results!

Here's a post from the site Reddit of a woman who didn't lose any weight but with a good weight training program really made a huge difference in how she looked:

http://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comm...ifting_female/

And I, for the last 4 months have laid off a lot of my exercise - cardio and strength training. I weigh now what I weighed in February, but I'm BIGGER now because of lack of strength training. Right now I don't even really care about the scale, I want my firmer body back!!! I LOOKED better in Feb. than I do now because I had more muscle. (and I'm sure I was healthier too).

But... I'm back at it - just had an injury, some down time from serious gardening/landscaping work at home, and then a nearly month long vacation overseas.

I love the pictures from this thread! Very inspirational.

Me too. I've been pretty sedentary this year because of a bone infection following a knee surgery and 8 months of pain, antibiotics, and more surgeries. I've lost about 20 pounds, but I'm exactly the same size as I was before the surgery. I've lost muscle and gained fat. Not good.

My waist is 2" smaller at 125 with weight training than at 125 without weight training.