Fat or muscle: which is heavier? Fat or muscle - which is heavier in the human body? More muscle or fat

Many athletes and people far from this are wondering what is heavier: muscles or fat. There is a sufficient amount of controversial information on this matter.

Fat or weightlifter?

You can often find a common example in the comparison of fat and muscle: a well-fed person can weigh 100 kg and not look very beautiful, and a bodybuilder who also weighs 100 kg, but has a low percentage of fat, nevertheless looks quite aesthetically pleasing. Same weight, but different shape. In the first case, the person will seem much larger in size than the second, but meanwhile they have the same weight, so what is the mystery?

Having understood the question “Which is heavier: muscles or fat in a person,” everyone can clearly understand what actions they need to take depending on their goal of building a figure. After all, only having certain knowledge in a certain matter can you competently approach solving a problem.

Fat or muscle - which is heavier?

Having understood this topic, you can clearly understand why such dramatic differences in weight and appearance arise. If we consider the question "is muscle or fat heavier?" from the point of view of cellular structure, the clear answer is that muscles are heavier, since their cells have a higher density compared to fat cells.

Muscle cells contain protein and water, while fat cells contain only fat, or lipids. You don’t need to have any special knowledge of body structure to understand that protein and water, aka muscles, will be much denser in composition than fat.

Functions of fat deposits

Fat is not a useless phenomenon; its critical level poses a threat to health, so you need to take a responsible approach to the process of losing weight. Layers of fat protect internal organs and create an additional source of heat in cold weather, this explains the decrease in metabolism in winter, as the body tries to preserve fat reserves.

Having learned the answer to the question “fat or muscle - which is heavier”, many try in every way to get rid of fat, which exceeds muscle tissue in volume, but it is worth understanding that there is a limit beyond which it is not advisable to go.

The lowest fat level threshold for a woman is 12%, then problems may begin with both appearance, and in a feminine way. Men can feel great with 5% body fat.

However, a high percentage of fat is harmful to the body, since the likelihood of developing diabetes increases, energy decreases, metabolism slows down, and lethargy sets in.

Why doesn't the weight change?

Due to the difference in the weight of muscle and fat, when losing weight, your weight may stay the same. In the process of sports activity, both fat is burned and muscle mass is built. Due to the fact that the proportion of body fat may be lower than the proportion of muscle, the effect of stagnant weight change can be created. In other words, two processes occurred simultaneously - fat went away and muscles increased.

Based on this, one should not attach great importance numbers on the scales. Visually you can see changes, a decrease in volume in certain areas, but remain at the same weight.

Many people believe that if you study in gym, the figure will in any case become athletic, whether they initially have fat or muscles. What is harder - burning lipids or increasing lean mass?

You need to understand that fat does not transfer to muscle. Intense exercise, of course, reduces body fat in some sense, however good result can only be achieved by limiting carbohydrates.

Heavy bones?

An overweight person has a large proportion of body fat, while the proportion of muscle and bone tissue changes slightly. It is inappropriate to believe that weight can increase due to bone growth, since even a 10% change in the proportion of bone tissue leads to an increase in body weight by only 1-1.5 kg.

You can achieve dramatic weight gain if you have physical activity And proper nutrition, since muscles are heavier than fat and bones. Because of this, the athlete will have large muscle mass and weight, respectively. Although, according to the classification of acceptable parameters and weight, he will belong to the overweight group, while having a low percentage of fat reserves.

Today there is a so-called bioimpedance analysis, which allows you to calculate the percentage of muscle and fat tissue in the body. Based on this, we can conclude whether a person needs to lose weight or gain weight.

When wondering whether fat or muscle is heavier, you need to consider many factors that influence weight gain.

In some cases, for example, during premenstrual syndrome in women or with heart disease, weight may increase due to fluid retention in the body. In this case, you need to consult a doctor. But still, almost everyone is overweight due to excess fat.

When understanding the question “Which is heavier: muscle or fat?”, it is important to pay attention not only to weight, but also to the distribution of fat across parts of the body. So, woman, even having excess weight, may look harmoniously folded, which is due to the uniform distribution of fat deposits throughout the body.

The ratio of hips to waist volumes, taken as the norm, for women is 0.7, for men - 1.

Body types

There are two types of figure: by female type- “pear” and in masculine terms - “apple”.

People belonging to the first type have a concentration of fat in the buttocks and lower abdomen.

Those in the second type have deposits, usually in the upper part of the body. These people are susceptible to obesity, diabetes, ischemia, and atherosclerosis.

You need to be aware that weight does not play a big role; what this weight consists of is much more important. The same weight of fat and muscle will look different. How? - many will ask. For example, 1 kg of muscle occupies a volume 2 times less than 1 kg of fat.

To replace fat with muscles, you need to eat protein and give up unhealthy foods, then you will no longer worry about what is heavier - muscles or fat in a person.

Let's just say that I'm already sick of questions about weight. A kilogram of fat = a kilogram of muscle, but muscle is actually bulkier and denser than fat. Just look on the Internet for a picture comparing 500g of fat and muscle. The difference will amaze you.

You've probably noticed how different girls of the same age, height and weight look. So I post a girl who is 164 cm tall and weighs 60 kg, and in the comments “wow? Why do I weigh the same, but look completely different? Or I post a girl who lost weight from 73 to 63, and they write to me “why can’t you see the 10 kg difference?” And because muscle mass the latter may have a big nose, just like the difference in the ratio of muscle to fat among the first commentators.

All you need to remember are general numbers that you can apply to yourself. They were not invented by me, of course. In the first year of lifting weights, a woman can grow approximately 4-5 kg ​​of muscle mass (all this must be done regularly and monitored by body composition analysis). The second year of regular exercise is only 2.2-2.7 kg of muscle mass per year. In the third year, even less: 1-1.5 kg of muscle. And if you have extensive training experience plus 4 years in the gym, you have an inevitable “plateau” compared to the potential of a beginner - 400-700g of muscle per year.

Muscle mass requires dedication, regularity and good recovery. It’s easier not to even start if you are not capable of regularity. No amount of steroids will help if you are undernourished, sleep deprived and train only once every 2 weeks. If you are used to starving and always losing weight, if for you beautiful body- thin in a dress, and not elastic and smooth when undressed on the beach, then I have bad news for you - nothing will work out for you. If you are ready to change, accumulate fat along with muscles, gain gradually and not jerk off your coach with questions “why haven’t I changed in 3 months,” then you have a chance.

There is another nuance in mass gain. It deals specifically with plateaus or slow growth with experience. The point is that our body is not rubber, and it also has a limit. Genetic potential, blah blah blah, unlimited possibilities, glorified by NIKE, but the body gets tired. If you push yourself through cycles of bulking and cutting for years, your body will probably give up. Stupid people with deformed psyches will resort to farming in order to constantly sell assholes with rubber band, smarter people will support what exists, but it also has its own subtleties.

In short, to sum it up: building muscle is hard work. If you cannot train regularly, have problems with sleep, eating, and are not psychologically ready to gain muscle and fat (which is inevitable), then mass is not for you.

If you don’t understand why 2 girls of the same age, height, weight look different, re-read the first paragraph. Once again: the ratio of water, muscle and fat may be different for them. You can find out everything about yourself by doing a body composition analysis. The only way. Therefore, do not pay attention to the weight, unless it is 80-100kg, of course.

When we talk about heavy weight, we increasingly condemn the presence extra pounds and fat reserves. Yes, size largely depends on the percentage of fat in the body, but still, there are no exact indicators of normal weight, since muscles also influence size and weight. They also have weight.

Typically, when determining excess weight, experts take into account not actual weight, but the percentage of fat in a person’s body. The higher this percentage, the greater the risk of health complications.. This percentage can only be determined using a special device or well-designed scales, which are usually found in nutritionists’ offices. You can also find such scales in fitness clubs. They show the percentage of fat, muscle and water that are contained in the body and all three indicators in general will be 100%. Since the percentage of water in the human body usually does not change (at least it should), changes in the percentage of muscle and fat may occur. Is it worth reminding that the greater the preponderance towards muscles, the better for human health.

What's heavier?

It is noted that the specific gravity of muscle tissue is three times greater than that of adipose tissue. The ideal percentage of fat and muscle mass for women and men. Values vary depending on age.

So, for women under the age of 20 years, the normal level of fat is considered to be 14-21%, but from 20 to 50 years old, women are allowed to have a fat mass of 17 to 27%. After thirty, a percentage of 20-3o is considered the norm.

As for men, the standards for them are somewhat lower. At the age of up to 20 years, fat mass can have a value of 9-15%, and at the age of 20 to 50 years, 14-21% is considered the norm. After 50 years, as for women, the standards increase, and the fat value can reach 19-23%.

By the way, if the percentage of fat is higher, this, of course, indicates obesity, but lower values ​​are not always good for human health. Fat is essential for humans because it helps protect internal organs. And in cold weather, fat still performs a heating function.

So it’s better for women not to go too far in getting rid of fat, in order to prevent the figure from being less than 12%. At lower values, a variety of problems are noted, including frequent cessation of the menstrual cycle. Men need at least 5% for normal well-being and health.

How to turn fat into muscle?

Fat cannot be converted into muscle, because to reduce its amount, body fat must be burned. Muscle mass, on the contrary, increases. So the two processes are completely incompatible. But if you train, perform strength exercises, then the fat gradually disappears, and at the same time muscle mass increases. This occurs due to the fact that physical strength increases, energy increases, muscle configuration noticeably improves and metabolism increases. Excellent result active training This is an improvement in figure and weight, a reduction in the appearance of cellulite and a reduction in the risk of diseases associated with obesity or overweight.

But a high percentage of fat is very harmful to the human body. It can lead to a reduction in energy flow and a slowdown of metabolism, the body becomes noticeably more lethargic and the risk of developing diabetes and some other unpleasant diseases increases.

But, in any case, using body fat percentage to determine a person's size is unwise. There are women with a low percentage of fat, but with naturally wide hips and an insufficiently defined waist. Of course, the clothing size in this case cannot be too small, even if the weight seems small. Or, with a fat percentage higher than normal, people look quite good - they cannot boast of a model appearance, but it is also difficult to classify them as obese. So body fat percentage may be an indicator, but it's not the only guide.

An excess amount of adipose tissue in the body of any person not only makes his figure unaesthetic, but also threatens with dangerous diseases. Our article today is not about this, but about the ratio of muscle mass and fat. You've probably heard the statement that muscle is heavier than fat. This is true, but there is not such a huge difference between the volumes of fat and muscle, as is usually shown in photographs and pictures.

So, we will help you thoroughly understand what is heavier - muscles or fat, we will analyze specific numbers and tell you how voluminous fat mass is replaced by heavier muscles.

Understanding Fat and Muscle Mass

Overweight people who start exercising to lose weight sometimes get upset when they look at the numbers on the scale. At the same time, they don’t understand why the body weight remains the same, but the figure becomes slimmer? Everything is explained very simply. Heavy power training and cardio exercises to burn fat burn calories, and along with this, an increase in muscle mass occurs. At first, for beginners who take up sports, their muscles grow quite quickly thanks to new physical exercises.

It turns out that muscle grows, and the percentage of fat decreases, but at the same time the scale arrow stays the same or even shifts upward. This is due to the fact that a kilogram of muscle is not as voluminous as the same amount of fat. When training regularly, it is better to weigh yourself not every day, but once every 2-4 weeks, but in any case, weight should not be the main criterion for assessing results. Take body measurements once a month and focus on them, and also look at your reflection in the mirror.

Slowly but surely, fat loss and muscle growth will occur, and your body will transform. Muscle is definitely heavier than fat, so two people of the same height and weight can look different if one plays sports and is very fit and the other has a lot excess fat.

Why is muscle heavier than fat?

How much heavier muscle is than fat can be determined by its density. There are pictures on the Internet that clearly demonstrate how many times muscle tissue is heavier than fat. Usually this difference is amazing - a kilogram of fat is 4-5 times larger than the same amount of muscle. In fact, everything is greatly exaggerated.

Muscle tissue does weigh more than fat tissue, but not significantly. How much muscle is heavier than fat becomes clear in numbers:

• muscle density - 1.3 g per centimeter;
• The density of fat in the human body is about 0.9 g per centimeter.

Accordingly, fat weighs about one and a half times less than muscle. The difference is noticeable, but not as significant as many people think. So it turns out that if you started training, and the weight according to the scales remains the same, perhaps you are simply building muscle while burning calories. At the same time, body volumes remain almost unchanged or even decrease.

Because muscle weighs more than fat, women and men lose their figures over the years if they don't exercise. The fact is that the body weight of 45-50 years old may be the same as at 20-25 years old, but the build will be radically different. IN early years muscles predominate, and over the years adipose tissue begins to grow, and it is always more difficult for mature people to burn fat.

Many people are mistaken that proper training Allows you to turn fat into muscle. This is a grave mistake. The fact is that fat and muscle are built in the body according to completely different principles. When playing sports, the level of fat gradually decreases, and muscles grow - these are two separate physiological processes, since the tissues have a different structure and structure.

How are fat and muscle redistributed?

To the question of how much heavier muscles are than fat in the human body, we answered you in detail, but to complete the picture, let’s look at the redistribution of these tissues in the body. It is impossible to say exactly how much muscle and fat should be in the body of a man or woman. Every body contains an amount of water, and people have different lifestyles and metabolisms. Be that as it may, a thick layer of fat is not necessary, but a deficiency of fat is also harmful. Moreover, a low percentage of body fat is especially dangerous for women.

A mistake is made by people who go on low-calorie mono-diets without exercising. The body begins to destroy muscles on its own, since it is the muscles that consume calories. It turns out that the smaller the muscles, the fewer calories are needed for their work. When the diet is completed, the body will return to its original weight, but this will be achieved by storing body fat rather than muscle. Muscles simply cannot grow without exercise.

Since fat weighs lighter than muscle tissue, after some time after the diet you may notice the opposite effect: your body will gain weight, and your figure will become even less attractive! Hiking and even jogging in the park will not correct the situation, since the body needs muscles to burn fat. Only proper strength training can pump them up.

If you are actively training, but you are unable to burn fat and the numbers on the scale remain motionless, as if all this time you have been serenely lying on the couch, do not be discouraged and read this material - we will tell you why this happens.

Any exercise, whether it's cardio or strength training, can help you gain muscle mass and lose excess fat, so just because the scale is frozen doesn't mean all your efforts are in vain. The thing is that muscles are more dense than fat. Thus, one kilogram of muscle is significantly less in volume than one kilogram of fat, but they have the same mass.

What is heavier - muscle or fat?

Have you ever heard the statement that a kilogram of muscle weighs more than one kilogram of fat? Here we should immediately make a reservation that in this case we are talking about comparing the mass of two bodies, and not about weight, as is commonly believed. Thus, the mass of the two bodies is identical, and it’s all a matter of volume, since one kilogram of fat takes up four times more space than muscle tissue. That is, you can look and feel thin even if your body weight remains the same. Alas, the same thing “works” in the opposite direction - you can look and feel plump, despite the fact that the scale arrow will remain motionless. This is especially typical for older people, since muscles tend to decrease in size with age, because the very process of restoring damaged muscle cells progresses much more slowly than in youth. In addition, with age, a person, as a rule, begins to move less, and this, in turn, significantly affects the increase in fatty tissue in the body.

In any case, excess fat can be a factor contributing to the development of serious diseases such as stroke, coronary artery disease and diabetes. It is difficult to determine the optimal ratio of fat and muscle in the body for each person - for this it is necessary to conduct special research, since the final indicator will depend on the person’s lifestyle, and on the characteristics of his body, and on the sport in which he plays. However, insufficient body fat is also undesirable, since a lack of fat can cause serious damage to the body, including reproductive function in women. It should be remembered, however, that the ability to conduct active image Life depends largely on understanding the fact: the body needs both muscle and fat.

Igor Zavyalov

Honored Trainer of Russia, specialist in the field of sports and space medicine, legendary doctor who works not only with athletes (he was a doctor and trainer in functional training Russian national basketball team, PBC CSKA, football Dynamo), but also with people from the Forbes list

Do not forget that body weight consists not only of muscle and fat tissue - there are also bones, internal organs, fluid, glandular and nervous tissue. Therefore, I am against frequent weighing when it comes to determining the effectiveness of training and balanced nutrition. Instead, use a measuring tape and your feelings - whether the clothes are becoming looser or, on the contrary, narrower. Yes, you can weigh the same at 50 years old as at 25, but only in youth did muscles prevail in these conditional 65 kilograms, and now fat prevailed, although the mass remained unchanged. And don't believe the claims that if you don't exercise, your muscles will turn into fat. No, muscles don't turn into fat, fat doesn't turn into muscle, bones don't turn into brain. Can a wooden house become a stone one? It’s the same here - different materials that cannot transform into each other. If a person stops taking care of himself, fat mass naturally begins to predominate. Plus, with age, the body somehow gains fat mass and lose muscle - after 30 years, there are fewer muscle cells, metabolism slows down, and a person uses less energy. This is a natural mechanism, but not a death sentence. If you want to continue to be active, keep leading healthy image life and exercise, and the older you get, the more time you should devote to maintaining your physical fitness. You just need to do this consciously and under the guidance of a professional who can competently plan the load, taking into account your age.

Modern scales allow you to measure body composition and determine the percentage of muscle and fat mass. If you are not preparing for professional competitions, such scales will be quite enough to track not only muscle growth and fat burning, but also monitor fluid loss. This is important to consider to prevent dehydration. For example, many people wear special rubber suits for training, run for hours in them and then proudly say that they have lost three kilograms. Only they lost not fat, but water. Professional athletes even have this rule - they weigh themselves before the match and always after. This allows them to determine exactly how much fluid the body has lost. In order to restore water balance, they must drink 150% water within two hours. lost mass body - “lost weight” by two kilograms, which means you need to drink three liters of water. If this is not done, the recovery process will take a long time and be less effective.

The average person can safely lose 500 grams of fat per week, or no more than two kilograms per month. Yes, you can lose weight faster, but it will no longer be safe, and you may experience a “reverse wave”, which is inevitable with sudden weight loss. Remember, the body will always take its toll. The main thing in this matter is to know your characteristics and tendencies and not go to extremes.

Yes, the numbers on the scale may remain stationary for a long time, but the ratio of muscle mass to fat mass will still change. So don’t give up swimming or daily workouts in the gym just because the scale arrow isn’t moving in the direction you want. Stop weighing yourself for a while and try measuring your results in other units, such as centimeters or the minutes you spend doing the plank.