A scale can only tell how much you weigh; it can’t tell you how much of that weight is muscle, fat, bone or water.
FAT LOSS THROUGH HEALTHY BODY COMPOSITION
Often, successful dieting and fitness programs are sabotaged because the weight on a scale doesn’t tell you what’s really happening in your body.
Because of this, it’s important to avoid becoming obsessed with scale weight, as it can’t tell you if your body fat percentage has changed, or if you’re looking or feeling better.
Ultimately, if your goal is weight loss, it should actually be fat loss through the improvement of body composition. This focus is a key component to developing a lifestyle strategy that is easy to maintain, leading to long-term success and personal satisfaction.
Most people don’t realize that muscle is more dense than fat. And while muscle is lean, firm and flat, fat is bulky, fluffy and takes up more space per pound.
For example: If you were to compare two men who were both the same age, height and weight, they would be listed as overweight on the BMI chart. However, if one was a bodybuilder at 5% body fat and the other man was a couch potato with about 30% body fat, the two would be vastly different in terms of their body composition.
Why Body Composition is Important
- Body composition has an impact on your health whether you are overweight or of “normal” body weight.
- An unhealthy body composition consists of too much body fat in comparison to your lean muscle mass—particularly if it’s abdominal fat.
- As your body fat-to-lean ratio increases, so do some important health risks.
- A healthy body composition doesn’t only improve your general health but it can also change your quality of life for the better.
Measure for a Better BCI
Other than a DEXA scan, tracking your body measurements is a great way to gauge your success on a fat-loss program. Remember, inches lost are more important to your success than the numbers on your scale.
Measure yourself with a tape measure at key points of your body once a week and be mindful that creating a better body composition and maintaining a healthy lifestyle doesn’t happen overnight. It will get easier though, and you will begin to see and feel real results. With a healthy outlook on body composition, you’ll be on your way to a better lifestyle and the best version of you.
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