So You Think You Want To Lose Weight?

Probably the most common health/fitness objective is to "lose weight." But is that what people really want?

A quick and sure way to lose 10, 20, or more pounds is to hack off a limb. But no sane person would do that, not only because it would hurt (a lot), but it's also not the kind of weight people want to lose. Nobody's looking for "Secrets to Losing Bone" or "3 Ways to Shed Muscle...Fast!"

Almost everyone who wants to lose weight really wants to lose fat. And while the scale may provide a measure of fat loss, it can be a very deceptive measure. Weight fluctuates naturally, often by several pounds. Having something to eat or drink, or, going the other way, using the bathroom, can easily change our weight by a couple of pounds. Eating salty foods leads to more fluid retention and corresponding weight gain. Women's weight can fluctuate dramatically with hormonal cycles; men's weight with beard growth. (I just made that up to see if you're paying attention.)

What if you lost several inches around your waist but didn't shed any pounds? Would that be so terrible?

When people say they want to "lose weight" or "get toned" or "firm up" what they're really talking about is body composition: the proportion of fat to everything else (mostly muscle and bone). Body composition is the reason two people of the same height and weight can look completely different. While too much body fat tends to be an obvious condition, insufficient muscle mass is more likely to be overlooked, particularly when models (especially female) are usually stick-thin.

But losing weight by losing muscle is a losing strategy. (Get it?)

On the other end of the spectrum, resistance training and proper nutrition can lead to increased muscle mass, although it's not easy (especially for women). But it's possible to lose fat and gain weight. Again, would that be terrible? (Hint: no.)

The best way to achieve improved body composition is through a combination of nutritious eating (not starvation) and resistance training.

So if you think you want to "lose weight," think again.

Be seeing you.

-gary