1 lb of muscle and fat weight the same, but muscle weighs more per square inch than fat per square inch.
Well, relying solely on the scale isn't a good indication of progress. I know for sure because I have in the past lost clothing sizes without losing weight or by losing like less 1-3 pounds per size.
I use to be a size 13/14 at 5', which was very big for me. I am currently a 2. However, in those last 6 lbs I'd lost, I lost the most clothing sizes in. I went from a 10 to a 2. I credit most of that to heavy weight training, because that's when I started and I reduced the amount of endurance training to once in a while.
I weigh the least I have in 20 some years. At this current weight, I am also less (about 2lbs) than what I weighed 1 1/2 years ago.
The other day, I put on a pair of shorts that fit me perfectly, whereas, 1 1/2years ago I had to fold over the waistband in order for it to stay on. There use to be like an inch of space between the shorts and my waist, before. My body composition changed (muscle vs. fat ratio), yet I weigh less. I know it has changed because my routine isn't as consistant as it was before with the heavier lifting, and also, my "way of eating" isn't as cleanas it was before.
So, in order for me to see changes I need to feel it in my clothing, not the scale. I do use a scale as a gauge.
You say you cheat 1-2 days? Well, do mean you cheat the entire day or a meal? 2 full cheat days are enough to ruin all the hard work you are doing. You can also gain weight by eating healthy, it's about calories in and calories out. Some of the weight increase could be due to water weight from something you ate. It could be water weight from your muscles holding water to repair your muscle tissue.
As long as you don't feel it in your clothing, you are most likely not gaining fat weight.
Namita
