Q) What is heavier? I want to know what is heavier: muscle or fat.
A) Muscle is heavier. This is why you can gain weight on the scales when you start an exercise programme, even though you may feel slimmer and find your clothes fit better.
1 litre of muscle weighs approximately 1.06 kg and 1 litre of fat weighs approximately 0.9 kg. This is all to do with the density of fat vs muscle. Put simply – muscle takes up less space than fat so people with more muscle and a lower body fat percentage literally look smaller and can wear smaller size clothes than the same weight people with a much higher fat content.
Hope this helps – Zoe
If muscle weighs more than fat, how does the BMI factor it in when it measure ones’ weight? Rugby players are very fit and healthy with lots of muscle, however I can imagine their BMI shoots through the roof. This, to me, suggests that BMI readings are not that useful or accurate for some people.