Did you know that muscle and fat weigh the same? That’s right, pound for pound, muscle and fat weigh the same amount! So what does that mean? If you’re heavier than you were last week, it could be because you gained muscle, or because you gained fat. The only way to tell if you’ve actually gained muscle mass or lost fat is by weighing yourself again in one week after maintaining your regular diet and exercise routine. If your weight hasn’t changed much in a week, then chances are good that you’ve actually gained some muscle!
Let’s put it into practice
If you’re like most people, you probably want to know if your weight is in muscle. After all, muscle is strong and lean, while fat is… well, not so much. The good news is that there’s a simple test you can do at home to find out. All you need is a tape measure and a bit of patience.
Here’s what you do:
1) Measure your waist at its narrowest point.
2) Measure your hips at their widest point.
3) Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement.
4) If the number you get is 0.8 or lower, congratulations!
Step 1 – Weigh yourself as usual
First things first, weigh yourself using whatever method you normally use – whether that’s stepping on the scale at the gym, or using a home scale. Write down this number so you have it for later. Keep in mind that your weight can fluctuate day-to-day, so don’t worry if it’s not exactly the same as last time you weighed yourself.
Step 2 – Do 20 pushups right away
Okay, time for the test. Get down on the ground and do 20 pushups as fast as you can. If you can’t do 20, do as many as you can. And don’t cheat by using your knees! Now, stand up and take a look in the mirror. How do you feel?
Step 3 – Weigh yourself again
Now that you know your body fat percentage, it’s time to weigh yourself again. This time, however, you’ll need to account for your body fat. To do this, simply subtract your body fat percentage from 100%. So, if you have 20% body fat, you’ll subtract 20 from 100 to get 80%. This is your lean body mass percentage.
Now that you know your lean body mass percentage, you can calculate your ideal weight in muscle. To do this, multiply your current weight by your lean body mass percentage. So, if you weigh 150 pounds and have 20% body fat, your ideal weight in muscle would be 120 pounds (150 x 0.8 = 120).
Where are you now? Let’s dig deeper.
You’ve been working hard at the gym, gaining strength and eating right. But are you really gaining muscle? Are you just getting bigger, or are you putting on quality weight? It’s time to find out.
Here’s a simple test you can do at home to give you an idea of where you stand. All you need is a tape measure and a friend.
First, find your body fat percentage. There are many ways to do this, but the most accurate way is to get it done professionally. Once you have your body fat percentage, subtract it from 100%. This is your lean mass percentage.
For example, if you have 20% body fat, that means 80% of your weight is lean mass.
