Weight Loss vs Fat Loss
One of the most common goals for new clients is weight loss. Often during a consultation, a client will say that they want to lose 10-25 pounds or get down to a particular number on the scale. The conflation of weight loss and fat loss regularly leads to clients becoming frustrated at their perceived lack of progress because the scale is not moving at a pace they believe to be commensurate with their efforts. However, the physiological changes that can occur without the scale moving (or moving less than hoped) are frequently aligned with the client’s stated goals.
The Scale Alone is a Poor Marker of Progress
Progress on the scale is often used as a proxy for fat loss, but the change on the scale does not differentiate whether fat or muscle has been gained or lost. To illustrate how the scale by itself does not give a full picture of body composition, please look at the following pictures.
The scale alone doesn’t tell the whole story
The actors Vince Vaughn (left) and Dwayne Johnson (right) are both 6’5”, and in these photos each weighs 260 pounds.
Vince Vaughn and Dwayne Johnson are the same height and weight in these photos. It should be quite evident that their body compositions are vastly different. While this discrepancy in body fat and muscularity for two very tall and heavy men is an outlier in reference to the general population, it should serve to illustrate the fact that the scale should not be the SOLE marker of progress.
Weight Loss Does Not Always Mean Fat Loss
In a highly calorie-restricted, cardio-focused weight loss program, lean muscle mass is sacrificed along with body fat to make the number on the scale go down. Preserving - and even increasing - lean muscle tissue is paramount in keeping your metabolism running as high as possible to maximize your fat loss. At Center Circle Health & Fitness, we focus on creating individualized programs to maximize lean muscle and improve strength while simultaneously helping you improve your nutrition habits to support your activity while you lose body fat. We want you to KEEP your results for the long run.
How to Measure Progress Instead
The best way to measure progress is by creating more data. The scale is useful, but not as the sole or primary marker of progress. Utilizing body circumference measurements, tracking your workouts, AND keeping an eye on the scale are the best ways to know how you are progressing toward your goals.
Body Circumference Measurement Sites: Neck, biceps peak (flexed, each arm), chest (across the nipple line), waist, navel (belly button), hips, glutes (at the widest part), and thighs (flexed, each leg)
Track Your Workouts: Keep track of your sets, reps, and weights to see if you’re improving over time. Lifting heavier weights, completing more reps or sets of the same weight, or your workouts feeling easier are all signs you’re getting stronger and more fit.
The Scale + Body Measurements: If your body weight stays the same, but your body circumference measurements are going down (especially around the waist and navel), you should be ecstatic! This indicates that you’re losing almost exclusively body fat while maintaining (and even slightly increasing) lean muscle tissue.
Why Does Muscle Weigh More than Fat?
Which weighs more, a ton of bricks or a ton of feathers? They both weigh the same. However, the bricks will take up less space than the feathers due to the density of the bricks. This illustrates, again, the fact that a scale does not differentiate the volume or density of the object placed upon it. It simply measures the weight. Despite the common axiom that muscle weighs more than fat, it is actually their volume and density that are different. One pound of fat weighs the same as one pound of muscle, but one pound of muscle takes up much less space than one pound of fat. The difference in the density and volume of the tissues is what can lead two individuals who are the same height and weight having very different physiques.
The Takeaway
Building muscle tissue takes a long time and a lot of consistency. Strength training, in combination with a handful of targeted lifestyle and nutrition changes (more protein, more produce, more water, better sleep), leads to improvements in health, body composition, and physique that cannot be achieved through calorie restriction and cardio alone.
In the pursuit of a healthier body, optimizing your body composition (reducing body fat to healthy levels while increasing muscle mass) and improving your baseline fitness levels should be the cornerstone of your plan. Above all else, utilize methods that feel sustainable for you while measuring progress patiently and appropriately. Taking care of your physical health means keeping an eye on longevity. We’re in this for the long run.