Scales Are For Fish, Not Weight Loss

Contrary to common belief, your weight is not really the indicator of a weight problem the actual percentage of body fat is the true indicator. You need to know what percent of you is actually FAT. How are you going to monitor your weight loss if you do not know what percent of your body is fat, before you begin your program? Let me give you an example on measuring body fat, this is important in understanding weight loss, or should I say FAT LOSS. This is actually what we are trying to lose, right? FAT! Lets say someone weighs pounds and when we measure their body fat we find out there body fat is % This means that % of the members body is made of fat ( lbs). The other lbs is muscle, bones, organs, water, etc. (everything but fat). Now any true weight loss program should include some form of strength training customized to their personal abilities (Another reason you need someone who truly understands the whole body and how it works). Because if you can gain some of that muscle mass that we lose with age, our bodies will burn more calories and therefore burn more FAT! Now its a few weeks into the program and this person steps on the scale and they now weigh lbs. They are a little disappointed because they thought they were doing better. Their clothes fit better, they have more energy, and they are feeling better. But they are still depressed because they only lost a lousy pounds! Right? Are we sure??? We now check their body fat and it is now % not %. Lets do a little math. lbs at % body fat means that % of them is fat, which equals lbs of FAT, and lbs are muscles and everything else (called the lean body mass). lbs at % body fat means that % of them is fat which equals lbs of FAT, and lbs of lean body mass. This person actually lost pounds of FAT (the stuff we are trying to lose) and gained pounds of lean body mass (mostly muscle mass, which is a good thing because this will allow their body to burn more calories!) You need to measure and focus on PERCENT OF BODY FAT, AND NOT WEIGHT! But dont worry, when your body fat goes down, as your body fat decreases so will the numbers on the scale!