Good evening! Time for some more science, which let's be honest is my fav. As you may know, the health and fitness industry is LITTERED with false marketing claims that lure vulnerable populations into a trap of unfulfilled promises, unrealistic expectations, and/or unsustainable results obtained by unhealthy methods. I am 100% on the consumer side and am passionate about helping my community (both local and digital) to navigate through all this bologna I see on the internet daily.
Speaking of bologna, has anyone seen the picture on the left on the internet? OH BOY I have. Anytime someone makes a claim, they gotta back that stuff up with SCIENCE to get my attention. I want ze data! The image on the left, which was generated by heaven knows, is completely false. This image would have you believe that muscle occupies about 60-70% less space than fat. Why is that bogus? The answer lies in the density of these tissues.
The more dense something is, the less space it occupies. The density of fat is 0.9 g/mL. So, according to the pic on the left, muscle should be at least 60% more dense, or have a value of at least 2.0 g/mL. However, the density of muscle is really 1.06 g/mL, meaning that in reality, muscle takes up only about 15% less space than fat.
Is your head spinning? It's okay. Don't worry. The take home message is that muscle DOES take up less space than fat, but not nearly as much as you've likely been led to believe. And yes, it's enough of a difference to make your clothes fit better and for you to feel amazing. And it's absolutely worth working toward. Just know that if it looks or sounds too good be true, it always is. That should be the first thing you think of with anything health and fitness related. "Does this sound too good to be true??" If your answer is "yes", run away. Treat it like your first bad relationship and drop that boy like a hot tamale. If your answer to that question is "no", meaning, you know you're gonna have to WORK, run right to it. You'll be smarter, wiser, and stronger for it.
Muscles forever,
Lee Ann
