Often, we become fixated on lowering the number we see on the scale when we check our weight-loss progress, and if that number is going down then we're on the right track, right? That number we are trying to chase is only a small piece of the weight-loss puzzle, we have to consider what kind of weight we are losing. Are we trying to lose overall weight, or just body fat?
Most scales do not give an accurate reading of what that number on the scale actually means in terms of our body's composition. They don't calculate our bodyfat percentage versus our lean muscle percentage, and that is something to consider. Believe it or not you can see a lower number on the scale and still have more bodyfat than before. This can place tremendous psychological pressure on one's fat loss journey. There are a few things that cause this outcome.
One, focusing on too much cardiovascular exercises (cardio) and not prioritizing strength training. When this happens, you are not able to maintain or build your lean muscle, and your body, being designed to make your life easier, begins to break down those calorically expensive tissues, in this case your muscle. This in term creates more space for fat cells to reproduce and therefore increase your bodyfat percentage.
You may have heard the term "skinny fat", where an individual is in a "normal" BMI but has a high percentage of bodyfat and a low percentage of lean muscle. This can be countered or even reversed by placing a higher emphasis on strength training. By building lean muscle you are able to ramp up your metabolism, aiding in things like insulin sensitivity, and allowing you to have more flexibility with your eating. Building lean muscle is also beneficial to your health, creating a more robust immune system and decrease the likelihood of you becoming sick or injured. And let's not forget you will feel and look better too!
Consuming an inadequate amount of quality calories is another cause of this "skinny fat" scenario. By not consuming the proper amount of quality calories we will see similar results as not prioritizing strength training, your body again goes after your most expensive tissue, your lean muscle. When looking at food, we always want to create or maintain a healthy relationship with it, and not look at food as the enemy or as a chore. In order to build lean muscle, we need to consider three main nutrients, or macronutrients, protein, carbs and fats. The amount of these key nutrients needed will depend on if an individual is trying to maintain or build lean muscle. The main nutrient to focus on is your protein intake, whether you are building or trying to maintain lean muscle. See the table below.
Macronutrient | Amount to Build | Amount to Maintain |
Protein | 1.2-1.7g per kg. of bodyweight | 1.2g per kg. of bodyweight |
Carbohydrates | 8-10g per kg. of bodyweight | Adjust accordingly. |
Fats | .05-1.5g per kg. of bodyweight. | Adjust accordingly. |
Whatever your goal is, fat-loss or adding muscle, there is one thing you must figure out first. What is your target weight? That is the number you will use for your macro calculations. For example, if you are 200lbs (90.7kg) and would like to be 170lbs (77.1kg.), then you would need to find the macro amounts for a 170lb person. The same idea can be applied to one who is trying to add lean muscle to their frame. Once you have figured out what amount of these nutrients needed for your specific stage, begin diving into how you are eating. Don't stress if you're not hitting your targets for each nutrient at first, just get as close as possible. Over time get closer and closer to your nutrient targets. As you become more familiar with reaching your targets, feel free to make some adjustments, as everyone is different. Maybe lower your carbs and increase your healthy fats or decrease your protein and increase your carbs. The idea is to find amounts that help your body feel good and you are seeing results. Once you have reached a desirable outcome begin to decrease the amount of calories and find an adequate amount to sustain that specific outcome.
Besides the scale, there are other, in my opinion, more ideal metrics you can use to track your fat loss. One of them being progress photos. Take progress photos at the beginning of your fat-loss journey.
Take one from the front, back, left and right. Then take a new photo every 4-6 weeks, wearing the same outfit and taken at the same time, preferably first thing in the morning after you have gone to the bathroom. Taking your progress photos first thing in the morning gives you more of an accurate picture of what your body actually looks like. You don't have all the added food and water from your day adding additional weight to your frame. Using progress photos instead of the scale will allow you to notice the physical changes you are undergoing and not just focusing on the number on the scale. Most of the time your body may be heavier on the scale, but you may appear leaner because when adding lean muscle because muscle is denser than fat tissue but takes up less space.
Checking in with how you feel overall is another great way to track your progress. Do you have more energy, feel stronger, have a better mood, etc.? This will be a great indicator if you are training too much, or you could use a bit more, or you are in a great spot. The goal is to find the balance where you begin to improve in as many aspects as you can and feel good while going through the journey. You may also notice that your quality of sleep may have improved. This is where most of your muscle building actually occurs, because while you are sleeping your body is repairing and building lean muscle tissue from the day.
Noticing how your clothes fit is another great metric to use for your fat-loss journey. Do those pants that used to feel snug have a little more room, and if they are snug, is it in different places?
Does that shirt that used to be tight against your stomach have a little more space and a little less space around your shoulders and arms? Again, even though the number on the scale may have gone up, your body composition has changed as you add more lean muscle to your frame.
If you are one that prefers to use a scale as your measurement for success, I would suggest getting one that is able to give you a reading on things like your percentage
and your lean muscle mass percentage. This will allow you to track your progress and see if your bodyfat percentage is decreasing while your lean muscle mass is increasing. Make sure you are using these check ins as a reference and try not to become obsessed on the number. Find an appropriate time in between weigh ins that allows you enough time for actual change to occur (on average, every 4-6 weeks.) Ask your physician about a Dexa scan too. This is another way to get an accurate reading on your body's composition, even allowing you to see if there is any visceral fat (fat surrounding your internal organs).
Whatever metric you use, make sure it is one that you can keep consistent with and that it doesn't create a negative self-image. It will take some time to see change, but in the long run, it is worth it. If it was easy, everyone would do it.
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