There is a misconception floating around the internet, within the walls of chatty homes, and gliding down the sidewalks alongside the misinformation highway — that misconception? You have to gain weight in order to build muscle.

Many people mistakenly believe that muscle weighs more than fat; this is simply untrue. This fallacy is destroyed by simple logic — ten pounds equals ten pounds, whether it is fat, muscle, gold, or water. To be fair, though — five cubic inches of muscle would weigh more than five cubic inches of fat; however, this does not mean that muscle weighs more than fat.

Some women, and men as well, are afraid of working out and building muscle because they think that they have to gain weight in order to do so. However, such fears are not founded on sound facts. They believe that if they head to the gym, lift weights, or even take part in anything more than a light cardiovascular activity, that they will inevitably increase their weight and “bulk up”.

Muscle building does not have to be all about “bulking up”; it can be all about strengthening your body and redefining the way that you look. Let’s say, for instance, that you are a male, five foot, nine inches tall and weigh one-hundred and seventy-five pounds. You’re happy with your weight, but you’re not happy with the way that your body looks. By focusing on adding definition to your build, rather than adding obscene amounts of muscle, you can maintain your same weight while completely redefining your shape.

The same can be said for women — if you’re five foot, four inches tall and weigh one-hundred and twenty-five pounds, your current weight may be acceptable to you, but you’re afraid to work out because you hear that ‘muscle weighs more than fat’. The same principal applies here — you can maintain your one-hundred and twenty-five pounds, build muscle, lower your body fat percentage, and still maintain your current weight, albeit with definition and strength rather than with the less-than-toned look that you may currently be sporting.

Bottom line — you do not need to worry about gaining weight when you work to burn fat and build muscle. By building muscle, you will be burning fat, as well as adding definition — and by exercising a little bit of control over your workout routine, you can maintain your current weight and proudly show it off on the new and improved you.

Build Muscle Up answers common muscle-building questions and shows individuals how to build muscles quickly. Learn about muscle weight gain and read reviews on the top muscle-building systems on our website.

Are you and your spouse worried about what’s happening with your savings, your pension, your children’s college funds, or just staying employed? The Dow Jones is under 10,000 and European banks sound as shaky as the US banks. Do you find yourself fearful of your futures together? Do you find yourselves disagreeing with your partner about how to weather this financial meltdown? Do you find yourselves arguing because one of you makes more money and feels like they have more control over how money is spent? When money gets tight as a result of reduced income or increased mortgage payments and is combined with financial fears of the future, those old money arguments (my money vs. your money) may be causing you problems again. It is time for the two of you to have discussions again about money.

In his book Love & Money, Jeff Opdyke says: “It’s not really about the money. It’s about creating another level of intimacy in your relationship and bestowing trust on each other.” He further recommends joint accounts for couples which explicitly demonstrates the trust you have with your spouse.

When we keep secrets from our spouse about how much we make, how we spend money, or even how much money we have, this indicates a measure of distrust in the other person. When times are tough like now, you need to trust and have faith in your legal and romantic partner. All your money and all your debts are consider joint by the state. If you are not considering them joint, you are losing out. You lose resources that your partner brings to solving financial problems. You lose a feeling of honesty about yourself. And you lose some ability to manage your family finances in the best way possible.

If the two of you are not quite ready to combine your accounts, at least try to agree on and be committed to the following:

1. Agree to live within your means, so that expenses do not exceed your income.

2. Agree to open, honest communication about money.

3. Promise not to blame one another, judge each other, or keep secrets about money.

4. Be prepared to listen to your partner and understand their perspective.

You both need to be fully aware of the family gross and net income, to know where household (and individual) money goes each month and to know how much debt you have and the interest costs you are paying.

If you are unable to have a frank and open discussion about your money with your spouse, you may benefit from seeing a marriage counselor. The National Registry of Marriage Friendly Therapists (www.marriagefriendlytherapist.com) is a good resource for finding a therapist who is invested in helping you save your marriage. If you are unable to curb your spending, you might consider Debtors Anonymous, an organization for people trying to reduce debt and regain solvency. If you need a housing counselor or help with your mortgage, go to the web site of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (www.hud.gov) and click on the Hope for Homeowners link.

It’s important to realize you are not alone. Many couples and families are struggling. Don’t let your marriage be a casualty of the worst financial disaster most of us have ever seen. You and your spouse are in this together. Get the help you need to keep your marriage stable and safe.

If you decide that you might need marriage counseling, check out my website, http://www.PamLipe.com My specialty is marriage and relationship counseling. For 20 years, I have been helping couples find the love and support they want in their marriages. My therapy practice serves the metropolitan area of Minneapolis/St.Paul, MN.