Solid Proof (Pun Intended) that Muscle is Indeed Denser than Fat

I've been measuring every now and then, and I still haven't lost much in inches in these last 5 1/2 weeks. That's why I'm taking pictures, because my body is a rebel--it doesn't want to follow the "rules" of weight loss. I'm losing fat in places I don't measure, and though I can see big changes, I'm still only between 6-7 pounds down on the scale at this point.This is why I look for NSVs, or Non-Scale Victories, because that helps keep me going and chases discouragement away most days. So, on that note--

You GUYS. I'm so excited today! Monday I shared about a dress I could wear that I never could before. Well, I have another victory to share today. I got into a couple bags of clothes I'd almost given away because I'd put on weight and thought I'd never get back into them. In April of last year, just before my husband lost his job, I was losing weight and bought some clothes from a friend. Among these clothes was a dress that was really tight around my midsection at the time, but it was cute, so I bought it anyway and figured I could wear a jacket over it. 

At the time I purchased it I was right at my lowest weight. I weighed 5-6 pounds less than I do right now. Yet I could barely squeeze into it, had to hold my breath to even get it zipped. Fast forward to today and this picture I took in my bathroom. (Sorry for the selfies, but that's really all I can do right now.) 

IT FITS! And I can breathe in it both standing up and sitting down! And I can wear a shirt underneath it without that extra bit of fabric cutting off my circulation! 

So, see? You can't rely on just the scale or the measurements. And muscle does not weigh more than fat (a pound is a pound no matter what you're measuring), but muscle is more dense. It takes up less space than fat.  This is kind of gross-looking (it's fake, by the way), but it illustrates what's going on inside your body when you are doing strength training. 

So if you're feeling like the process of getting fit will take forever, or the scale isn't moving, or the measuring tape doesn't seem to reflect the changes you're feeling in your body, hang in there! Embrace every positive change, and document them! Because when you're having a bad day, you can look back and see how far you've come. Then that gives you courage and the confidence to push through another workout, to choose another healthy meal. 

Thanks for sharing in my NSV today. I'd love to hear about any you are experiencing!