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Julie Webster
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The Fat vs Muscle Factor

It is a known fact that as we age our bodies change. Starting around the age of 45 we start to lose muscle mass at a rate of approximately 1% per year. Although this doesn’t sound like a big deal, it really is.

The reason being is because at the same time our bodies are starting to lose muscle mass, most people are starting to gain weight. The average American gains 1-2 pounds of weight per year as they age. Again that doesn’t sound like a lot but if you average that over 10 years, you have gained 15 pounds!

Let’s look at that. Muscle is about 18% denser than fat. In other words, think about weight verses volume. A pound is a pound but the amount of space one takes up verses the other is the key factor. For an extreme example think about the weight of one pound of feathers verses one pound of brick. Since the brick is so much denser, it would take up much less space than one pound of feathers would. You get the point?

So, if muscle is 18% denser than fat and we are losing mass yet gaining weight what do you think we really gaining? Fat, of course. Our bodies are either staying the same size or, in many cases getting physically bigger. Consequently our ratio of muscle to fat is changing dramatically.

We value and respect the experiences of all of our HerWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

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