When my weight loss seems to plateau (a regular occurence) I remind myself that the lean muscle mass I am building through exercise weighs more than fat...so as my body tones & shapes, my muscles grow. Then...the muscles burn more calories & I start to loose pounds, once again.
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The fact that my clothes fit better & better & that I can get into smaller sizes comfortably - even when the scales seem to be stuck - remind me that lean muscles also look better.
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Re: DRAE0879'S comment - Muscle mass is denser than fat - so 1 cubic centimeter of fat weighs substantially more that the same volume of fat. So - therefore, if you replace the same volume of fat with muscle - you will actually gain weight - & look & feel better! To use DRAE0879's example - take a brick & weigh it...now take a package of feathers, the same size as the brick & weigh it...which weighs more.
KARLYNCANDOIT5/13/2010 3:33:00 PM
yep!!
DRAE08794/4/2010 4:04:00 PM
if you have a pound of feathers and a pound of bricks, which weighs more? 1 pound of fat and 1 pound of muscle are still 1 pound. So I am sorry to say that this comment is not motivational to me. Muscle is more dense than fat and there for gives you a leaner look...look it up, this is fact.
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Don't Be Discouraged if the Scale Doesn't Move :~)
All too often this thing 192 scares us when it doesn't move the way we think it is supposed to. Don't forget that when you are working to lose weight through food choices and exercise that the exercising, when done properly, will help you build muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat so you may be gaining muscle (a good thing) while losing the fat (also a good thing). Use a measuring tape and how your clothes are fitting as your measurement for your weight loss!! 247
Having the scale be your only tool for if you are succeeding or failing is a sure fire way to get you down. People that don't weigh much aren't necessarily healthy, and people you weigh a lot aren't necessarily fat. Muscle weighs more than fat. Look to how you feel and how you see yourself to k now if your on the right track!
I rarely step on the scale anymore. My measuring tape is a much better indicator of my progress. Since muscle weighs more than fat in one's body and takes up less space, inches reduced tells a better story than a simple weight number. If the scale hasn't budged *and* I've lost a few inches, obviously I'm shedding fat and gaining muscle. So ditch the scale and get out your measuring tape once a month.
