We've all heard the ol' "muscle weighs more than fat" argument. Usually, it's coming out of the mouth of someone who is overweight, and for whatever reason, this simple concept is misinterpreted time and time again.
So before I get into the main subject of my post, I'd like to try to clear the air.
1 POUND of anything weighs the same and 1 POUND of anything else. Seriously. 1 pound of muscle weighs a pound, and so does a pound of fat. The difference is in VOLUME. 1 pound of muscle takes up less space than 1 pound of fat, because muscle is more dense. Get it together people, it's not a difficult concept!
Phew!
The reason I felt compelled to address this common misconception is that in the last 24 hours, I've had two very different conversations about my weight; one with my Mother, and one with a coworker, both of whom have just returned from their respective vacations.
I dropped my parents off at the airport a month ago, and they arrived back in Canada yesterday. Aside from their lovely, dark tans (where did I miss out on THAT gene?), it was clear that they'd had a great vacation due to their weight gain. I poked at my Mom about it, and she made a bunch of excuses about how "healthily" they ate, and how much walking they did...but I wasn't buying it. In an obvious attempt at misdirection, my Mom pointed out that I'd lost weight. Not true! My weight this morning is a measly 0.6 pounds HIGHER than it was the day they left.
A week ago, one of my coworkers left for vacation. He too was sporting a nice, deep tan, and a few extra pounds. He looked at me at lunch today and said "you've gained about 5 pounds since I left, haven't you?" While most people would have smacked him, I know that his wife is very into fitness, so I took it as a compliment without hesitation.
So my Mom thinks I've lost weight, and that's a compliment, and my coworker thinks I've gained weight, and THAT's a compliment... and I took both of them as positives. It's funny how perspective can bend our truth, isn't it?
Whether it's 5 pounds of fat, or 5 pounds of muscle, remember to love what you can, when you can!
Mandy
xo
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