Step away from the scales
While scales may be a reasonable addition to your kitchen (and we will treat this aspect in detail in one of TheSlimSchool lessons), they make less sense standing in your bathroom.
Why?
Our weight depends on a number of factors. For two people with the same height and same waist and hip measurements, the weight can differ significantly. Normally, you would want to be the heavier one.
Why?
While you want your measurements – waist, hips and thighs to diminish, your weight is a questionable parameter.
This is because our weight depends on a number of factors:
1. Bone volume and density. Both volume and density - and therefore weight - tend to decrease with age. The reduction of bone mass may be halted and maybe partially reversed with weight bearing exercises, the intake of vitamin D, calcium, observing an alkaline balance, as well as with medical drugs and hormone replacement therapy. Most recently, the sweetener xylitol and prunes were also shown to help prevent bone loss.
2. Hydration. The adult human body consists of approximately 60% water, but this percentage can vary quite a bit. We know that water retention in females depends on which phase of the menstrual cycle they are at. Also, as we age, the water percentage diminishes, we can see it all too well on our skin. Some diseases can cause higher or lower water retention. The bad news is that the quick loss of weight at the beginning of high protein diets is mostly due to lower water retention (see also under glycogen).
Taking a sauna can also cause water loss (but it does have real fat loss effects, as you can learn in TheSlimSchool course). Obese people have less water in their bodies, as fat cells store less water than other cells. This means that, while replacing fat with muscle is excellent news, you may not see the result on your scales.
3. Muscle volume. As mentioned, your muscle mass tends to lessen with age, a process that can be halted or significantly slowed with strength training (TheSlimSchool course covers this area in detail). That’s why it is more important to exercise when growing older than at young age.
Unfortunately, studies show that about 25% or more of weight loss while dieting is caused by muscle loss – that means that unless you exercise enough, out of every 4 kg/8.8 lbs lost, 1kg/2.2 lbs will disappear from your muscle mass.
You certainly want to gain muscle mass rather than lose it, not only because your muscles contribute slightly more to daily energy expenditure than your fat, but also because of a number of other health benefits.
All the above evidence shows you want to weigh more if that stands for more hydration, more muscle mass and more bone mass. It also demonstrates the limitations of Body Mass Index (BMI) in determininig healthy weight. See also our article '17 pounds in 17 days!'
Therefore, your old pair of jeans or a measuring tape stay the best measure of how you slim you want to be.
TheSlimSchool course introduces you to the most feasible and effective ways to lose some of your fat deposits, keep your bone mass and increase your muscle mass. Subscribe now for just US$ 15.99.
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