Fat Loss vs Weight Loss

Pictured here is a plastic replica of muscle and fat tissue.  As you can see, 5lb of muscle is significantly smaller than the same amount (weight) of fat. 

With this in mind, I often tell new trainees to look at the mirror instead of the scale.

I know bodyweight can be an important measure of health.  But obsession with it may keep you from seeing the “big picture.” 

Consider these scenarios:

Let’s say I’ve gained 5lb of muscle and lost 5lb of fat.  This would be a positive change in body composition.  That extra muscle would raise the number of calories I burn.  The fat loss may result in noticeable physical changes, such as a reduction in my waistline (depending on my starting weight/bodyfat  %).  But the scale would not show any weight loss. 

Now, let’s say I lose 5lb of muscle and 5lb of fat.  That’s 10lb of weight loss, but there’s a problem:  I’ve lost just as much muscle as fat.  I’ve lost some calorie-burning muscle tissue, which would slow my metabolism in the long run.


It’s important to keep all of this in mind in terms of diet and exercise.  Body weight is not always the most important measure of health and/or progress.