Have you ever wondered what the number on the scale actually means? The answer lies within your body composition.
To begin, let’s clarify the difference between bodyweight and body composition.
Your bodyweight is simply your body’s total mass. The weight of all of your bones, organs, tissues (including fat and muscle), water, anything that might be in your digestive system, etc. Body composition is what your body weight is made of: muscle, bone, water, and fat.
Body composition gives you a more accurate picture of your health. A person can be in a healthy weight range but practice a sedentary lifestyle, which is more common than you make think. Over 150 million Americans do not get enough exercise, leading to health issues like heart disease, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
Body composition is a more accurate indicator of whether your body fat percentage is in a healthy range (10-20% for adult men, 18-28% for adult women). This knowledge is important to determine how to reduce or prevent the risk of developing these chronic diseases.
Two people can have the same weight, be the same height, the same gender, etc and one may look leaner than the other. Why is this? Muscle weighs more than fat. Therefore, someone could have a lower body fat percentage and more muscle mass. The opposite is true, as well: someone could have a higher body fat and a lower muscle mass but weigh the same. People carry fat differently.
Look at this image. All of these bodies weigh the same, but clearly carry their weight differently and may have different body compositions.
I am frequently asked, “How much should I weigh?” by clients who come through the BodPod for testing. And this is why I can never give an answer: it depends.
Each of these women weighs 154 pounds, but their height, age, activity level, muscle mass, subcutaneous and visceral fat and bone density all play a part in the number that stares back at them on the scale.
Many people decide a certain weight and the number out of thin air. Or they base it on a number they were in high school or thinking that BMI might be the most important factor for the right weight (it’s not).
While weight gives you a goal to aim towards, you also have to gauge how you feel in your clothes, how strong you feel, how healthy you are, how you feel mentally and emotionally, too. Bodies carry weight differently. Some bodies respond really quickly to gaining muscle, others take a little longer. Some bodies lose fat off the midsection first, others off the legs first. You might find that once your body composition changes, your “goal” or what you “should” weigh changes. Maybe you end up at a higher body fat percentage that what an article in a fitness magazine or your doctor told you, but you are healthy, it is sustainable and you love how you look. That is the perfect weight for you!
Weight is so much more than a number on the scale. Picking the right weight for you and your body type is something that may change as you improve your health. Want strong, dense bones? You are going to weigh a little more. Want a strong, healthy body? You are going to weigh a little more. And that is completely ok!
Having an awareness of your body composition will help you determine the right approach to nutrition and exercise. But it is not the only factor to consider or the only way to measure health and wellness. There are many other ways to measure physical health besides the number on the scale or your body composition:
Serum lab values (blood tests): is your A1c improving? Are your liver enzymes in a better place? Has your inflammation come down? Is your iron level improving if you are low? Is your Vitamin D in a normal range?
Energy/symptoms: Do you have more energy than you did a month ago, six months ago, a year ago? Have you lessened the amount of times you experience migraines? Has your digestion improved? Do you find you no longer need caffeine to get through the day?
Strength and endurance: Are you physically stronger? Can you lift more weight now than you could before? Are you able to walk or run further or for longer than you could 30 days ago or a year ago?
Healthy habits: Are you now more consistent with movement? Do you look forward to exercising or going to the gym? Are you eating more vegetables or making healthier choices overall? Do you pack your own lunch and eat out less?
Don’t rely just on weight or body composition to tell you how you are improving or if you are improving at all. Your body weight is the least interesting thing about you.
You are more than just a number on the scale.
All content of this blog is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this blog.
Kelly Sherman, MS, NC, CGP, CPT, is a licensed nutritionist specializing in empowering women to reclaim their health by cutting through misinformation and ditching the diet culture. She has a master’s degree in nutrition and is degreed in exercise science as well as a certified personal trainer. With over 20 years of experience in the field, she combines the best of both nutrition and exercise sciences to best help her clients reach their potential. To nourish is to flourish!
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