The term ‘weight loss’ is everywhere! Tv and newspaper commercials, fitness magazines, even amongst your family and friends. How many times have you heard someone say “I’ve got to lose some weight,” “I need to lose weight.” Do they want to lose muscle, water, bone, hair, skin, teeth or any other part of their body? I bet not. Weight loss is such a broad term.
So let’s be specific. We want to burn fat right?
The goal of ALL fat loss programs should be to burn fat while maintaining or building muscle. Therefore, a persons BF% is the truest indicator of how well one is progressing.
Are you constantly jumping on the scale? Those evil little things. Get off them! I’ll always advise to not pay attention to scale weight. It’s very misleading and for some, can be devastating! Why put yourself through that? Too many times a successful habit change can be sabotaged because of a number on the scale.
Think of it this way. Two people could both weigh 80kg, but one might have a BF% of 35 and the other a BF% of 12. To the scale they are both the same. It can’t tell the difference. One may as well be a sack of potatoes!
Your weight is important, but it’s only one spoke in the progress wheel. Some valuable indicators include:
- Body fat percentage
- Tape measurements
- Progress pictures
- How you’re clothes fit
- Strength and endurance
- Confidence
These are all equally important measures of progress. Never lose sight of that!
If these progress markers are improving over time and you’re feeling better about yourself, then that’s all that matters. Progress is not just measured in kilograms lost.
