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The Weight Loss Myth

The Weight Loss Myth: How to Achieve your New Year Goal

The Weight Loss Myth: How to Achieve your Weight Loss Goal

Part One of a Three Part Series on Reaching your Weight Loss Goals

The Weight Loss Misnomer

The term weight loss, as it applies to health, is grossly inaccurate. Weight is the force that gravity exerts on an object’s mass. Every object has mass. To calculate weight, scientifically speaking, you multiply the mass of an object by the acceleration of gravity1 on that object. To illustrate this, consider that a kg is actually a measurement of mass, not weight. A kg on earth is a kg on any other planet in the solar system, but weight will change based on the gravitational pull of the planet in question. On Earth, 1kg is 2.2 pounds.

This science lesson, while seemingly random, is to illustrate a point: weight is an all-inclusive term. Weight refers to a total body of mass. It refers to fat, sure. But it also refers to bone, blood, water, organs, and even hair. To accomplish a “weight loss” goal, technically, all a person needs to do is get a haircut, stay away from liquids for an hour or two, and step on the scale.

It’s no secret that a host of people have short-term, relatively rapid, diet success followed by a backswing. Often called a yo-yo diet, this phenomenon can be explained by the above. If a would-be dieter cuts out carbs, they’ll retain less water. Gary Taubes explains in his book Good Calories, Bad Calories that for every gram of carbs a person eats, the body will retain two grams of water in order to later process that carb. By cutting out carbs over a period of a couple of weeks, a person’s body will require less water, and retention will decrease. Pursuant to our definition above, less water is less weight. Boom, weight loss.

The backswing in this case is easily explained; the individual ends their “diet”, starts eating carbs again, and their body responds by retaining water. And let’s be clear: water is required to digest carbs; this is not some sort of punishment levied by the body in response to the diet.

How can a determined individual avoid the yo-yo effect? How can a determined individual succeed in their New Year goals and maintain their success? The first step is to acknowledge that “weight loss” will not help you reach your goal. If your goal is appearance based, health based, or performance based, then your focus needs to be on body composition.

The Quick and Dirty on Body Composition

Body composition is exactly what it sounds like; it’s the total make up of a person’s body. Typically for health and fitness purposes body composition refers to fat mass and lean body mass. An overall reduction in fat mass coupled with an increase in lean body mass results in a more aesthetically appealing, healthy, and effective body.

Body composition goals vary significantly by individual. Imagine person A and person B. Person A has never worked out a day in their life. They spend hours in front of a computer all day for work, and at home they spend more time on the couch watching TV. They eat what they want, in excess. Person B, however, has worked out quite often. Person B was a competitive weight lifter and knows their way around the weight room. Both of these imaginary individuals are obese and want to undergo a body recomposition for a variety of health and fitness reasons. Their goals are exceedingly different. Person A likely has very little lean body mass. When they lose their excess fat mass there is no frame established to fill out their appearance. No gas to give their body more “go”. They’ve lost their excess body fat, but they don’t look great. Person B, by contrast, likely has quite a bit of muscle built up from their history in the gym. When they lose the excess fat mass, they will be left with an athlete’s frame. Therefore, person A NEEDS to build muscle mass. Person B will want to lose fat mass and maintain their existing muscle mass. Weight-loss is not the answer. Fat loss alone is not the answer.

It’s important to note that “lean body mass” is not the same thing as building bulk. Frequently, the words “building muscle” conjure images of Arnold like behemoths, toiling away in dungeon like gyms to get Super Jacked Bro! But this isn’t the case. Picture Brad Pitt in Fight Club. Or Gal Gadot in Wonder Woman. How about Chris Pratt in Guardians of the Galaxy or Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games? These are all objectively attractive individuals. They have their body composition in check, and it shows.

Okay, I’m convinced. But how?

Meeting your body composition goals will come down to essentially two things: planning and consistency. You can’t expect to “eat better” and magically reach your goals. You need a plan. Start with the things that are easiest for you to control. For example, step one might be a commitment to have breakfast every day and to make it to the gym three times a week. Next, you might have breakfast every day and a salad for lunch while making it to the gym three times a week. Maybe then you limit dessert to two nights a week. At this point you’re now having breakfast, a salad for lunch, 5 nights a week without high-calorie sugar nonsense after dinner, and a workout three times a week. The results will have already started coming. You’re doing it.

Next is consistency. You have to be consistent. Once you set your plan, stick to it. It’s really that simple. If you plan to work out three times a week, DO IT. Then next week, DO IT AGAIN!

Worthwhile change is slow. It won’t happen overnight and it won’t happen in 30 days. It’s going to take time. It’s going to take effort. And it’s going to be worth it. Children have grown up hearing the story of the tortoise and the hare. Slow and steady WILL win the race. By focusing on body composition changes for your goal, you will be building a healthy, high performing, and attractive body.

If you find yourself struggling, or just need help building your plan, come see us. We’re here for you.

http://www.upliftttraininglouisville.com

 


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