How many of us stand on the scales week after week or even day after day? Wanting and hoping for that magical number to appear that will tell us we are a few pounds lighter or that now we can fit into that smaller clothes size? I know I have – many times. We have been conditioned for years to focus our weight loss efforts on the results of the scales – when this is simply not a true indication of our results.
When a person diets and uses the scales as a means of finding out how well they are doing – they don’t actually realize that for every kilo of weight lost on the scales only half is actual body fat. The other half is made up of lean muscle mass. So what does this matter you might ask?
Well when you lose muscle mass you actually diminish you capacity to burn kilojoules – because muscle is need to maintain a healthy metabolism. Losing muscle during the dieting process (which will show you results on the scales as losing weight) slows down your metabolism and prohibits your body from burning kilojoules. This is when you find that you are slowly beginning to put back on all the weight you previously lost – the only difference this time is that you actually put back 100% fat – not 50/50 as when you lost it.
Think about it the next time you are on the scales – and what that number really represents. Losing weight is good for your health – but the scales will never give you a good indication of the fat loss component.
I find taking my measurements with a tape measure is a good way to see body fat loss. Now because muscle weight more than fat – when you lose body fat you will not lose much on the scales – however your measurements will give you a great indication of how much body fat you have lost because your size will be decreasing and your clothes will be fitting better. The trick is here to find a way that will maintain your lean muscle mass but also allow you to lose body fat at the same time.