This Matters More Than Weight Loss
It’s January 1st! The unofficial starting line for fresh gym memberships, renewed motivation, and for many…that eternal battle with the bathroom scale.
Before you set off to fulfill your resolutions, let’s have a quick chat about body weight versus body composition.
Because if one of your goals is to look better nekkid this year (and not just see a smaller number on the scale), this is required learning.
Put on your readers, pinch your screen, and lean in:
Your body weight is just the sum of everything in your body. Bones, muscles, organs, water, fat, and yesterday’s food in your gut.
Your body composition, on the other hand, is what makes up that total weight. Specifically, how much of you is muscle versus fat. If you want a leaner, stronger, more toned-up physique, this is what you need to care about, not your weight.
Why does this matter?
Muscle is the main ingredient in a better body comp, and it’s also your metabolism’s BFF. It burns calories at rest, keeps you strong, and shapes your body.
Two people can weigh the exact same but look completely different. Or, you can weigh the exact same at two different body compositions and look entirely different. Check out the side-by-side photos below.
3. Sadly for most, losing weight often means losing muscle, too.That’s why crash diets and endless cardio sessions can leave you looking “skinny fat” instead of lean and toned.
How do you “measure” body composition?
The best way is to look at your reflection. Are your problem areas looking like less of a problem? Are your guns, quads, and calves poppin’?
Take front, back, and side photos of yourself in your bathing suit in the same place with the same lighting every 4 weeks, and then put those photos side by side with a collage app on your phone.
The next best thing is to measure your waist 1” above your belly button, and to pay attention to how your clothes are fitting.
Don’t worry about paying for an InBody or Dexa scan. It’s not worth your money.
So, how do you improve your body composition?
Lift heavy things. This is non-negotiable. Strength training is how you build lean muscle. End of story.
Follow a balanced program that includes muscle-building moves as well as conditioning.
Feed your muscles. Protein isn’t just for bodybuilders. It’s the building block of muscle and therefore your body composition.
Dial in your overall nutrition. No hard-core crash diets with a name. I’m looking at you Keto, Carnivore, and Intermittent Fasting.
Be patient. Changing your body composition takes time, but the results are worth it.
The scale might go up. It might go down. But when you focus on body composition, you’ll like what you see in the mirror far more than any temporary satisfaction you get from seeing a number on a digital display.
Want us to take the reigns this year so you don’t have to figure it out on your own? Just hit that blue button below, and I’ll reply today with your options to work with us.
It might be more affordable than you think, and the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll get results.
Lift heavy, and be nice,
Jonathan
P.S. Got questions about your own body composition? Comment below—I’d love to help you start the year off strong!