Here’s Why Scales Are Bullshit and You’re Doing Better Than You Think

The Numbers Behind “That” Number

The number you see when you step on a scale does not define you, your hard work, or your progress. It hardly represents your body.

When people tell me they want to lose X amount of pounds, I try informing them about body composition and how it isn’t about total pounds, but where those pounds come from. Muscle is denser than fat and thus takes up less space. Less fat, more muscle. That’s the recipe for success in changing our body composition.

Very few latch onto this idea. Millions across the globe are still consume with their body weight rather than body composition. So, I’m going to show you just how I improved my body composition while gaining weight.

InBody Scan Analysis

Below are two body scans I took. The one on the left was taken two months ago. The one on the right was taken last week.

There are plenty of data to dissect here, but I want to draw your attention to the Muscle-Fat Analysis.

The scan shows that I gained 2.6lbs of total body weight. This was actually my aim during that past few months, however, I wasn’t looking for just any weight. I wanted to gain lean muscle, not fat.

Now with a normal scale this is where the analysis stops. I know that I’ve gained weight, but is it the lean muscle that I wanted? Luckily, this InBody Scan took it a level further.

The scan reveals that 2.2lbs of those 2.6lbs are from lean muscle. That’s an impressive 85%. What’s more interesting, though, was that the remaining 0.4lbs weren’t fat. In fact, I had actually lost 1.1lbs of fat in the process. My body fat percentage actually decreased from gaining weight.

I was able to add lean muscle, remove unwanted body fat, and improve my body composition while eating more calories than I need to maintain my weight. This is every man and woman’s dream!

The Takeaway

I don’t say all this to impress you, but to impress upon you that if you want to change the way you look, if you want to be more lean, more tone, more attractive, you don’t need to starve yourself or do ungodly amounts of cardio.

I got these results from lifting heavy weights 3–4x a week, every week, while targeting all the major muscle groups and consuming adequate protein in my diet. Not a minute of cardio unless it was playing basketball with my friends.

The notion that the more weight we lose the better our body will look must die. Without a strategic weight lifting regimen, the weight you lose will come from both fat AND lean muscle — you know, muscle, the stuff that gives your body that youthful, toned shaped. The result is a smaller, “skinnier” version of what you wanted to destroy and a frustration that sends you spiraling out of control.

Total body weight doesn’t tell the whole story. Rather than trying to lose it, focus on changing where it comes from. You’ll surprise yourself when you realize the weight you’re at now may just be the perfect weight if it’s coming from the right places.

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About The Author: I’m Zach Newman. I’m an ACE Certified Personal Trainer. Conversation is insanely important to me. Its why I love creating things because creation sparks discussion and discussion is the best way to learn from each other. Whether its about fitness and health, what books to read, or what’s going on in the world today, my goal is to build the best community around conversations that better the lives of everyone involved.

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