Nope, 1 lb. of fat equals exactly 1 lb. of muscle, but your instinct is right that muscle is more dense than fat. On average, the density of fat is 0.9 g/mL. The density of muscle is 1.1 g/mL. Therefore, one liter of muscle weighs 2.3 lbs., while 1 liter of fat weighs 1.98 lbs.
I have so many clients who tell me they fit into their skinny clothes again, but they didn’t lose that much weight or they are 8-15 lbs heavier than when they did fit into those clothes. Muscle is more dense and the weight was better distributed away from the unhealthy fat (the mid-section or visceral fat). The moral of the story: stop focusing on the scale. Focus on how you feel and how your clothes fit.
My most successful clients follow these rules:
- Focus on what they can eat and not what they can’t eat
- Focus on energy level and better mood instead of the scale
- Focus on their new positive energy (this turns off their stress response and turns on their digestive response making weight loss easier)
- Focus on adding activities they love so it doesn’t feel like exercise and becomes a way of life
- Enjoy a new level of zest for life and pleasure. The pounds just drop rapidly without even trying anymore.
- Torture, calorie counting, self hatred, and poor body image only leads to more stress and an automatic physiological response for slow metabolism. Some bodies simply take a little longer to “jump start.”
There are so many success stories that we need a shopping session for all the new wardrobes needed.
For more information and support: www.HappyFoodHealth.com
For easy cooking: www.healthy-cooking-videos.com
