What weighs more?

A pound of muscle or a pound of fat? Ah yes, you are familiar with this trick question. Usually one asks a child what weighs more-a pound of bricks or a pound of feathers. Invariably the child answers "bricks". I ask because I came across this little nugget of information the other day and I have not overcome my feeling of surprise: One pound of muscle burns an extra 50 calories/day, while one pound of fat burns a mere 2 calories/day. I think most people realize conceptually that muscle contributes to a greater daily calorie expenditure, but who would have known there was such a calorie differential between them? I find this fascinating and I simply cannot get over it. I think that in addition to putting it into "print" here, I already have told a dozen people. I am spreading the gospel according to weight training. Consider yourself enlightened.