Think Inches, Not Pounds

Continued...

A New Weigh

Many women who exercise as part of their weight loss program become frustrated initially when they don't lose weight. They don't realize that training increases muscle size, and muscle tissue weighs more than fat.

As you develop muscle and lose fat, you may lose inches instead of pounds. You may even gain weight, but you'll appear slimmer and trimmer. Because you're lowering your body-fat percentage and increasing your metabolic rate, you're improving your physical fitness considerably.

So what's the best way to lose weight? Combining diet and exercise results in more weight loss than dieting alone. When you lose weight, you lose lean body mass as well as fat.

In groups that diet without exercising, 25 to 50 percent of weight lost is muscle. In groups that diet and exercise, the loss of muscle tissue can be reduced to 10 to 15 percent.

Maintaining muscle tissue through weight training is important for long-term weight loss and maintenance. Lean tissue burns more calories and preserves strength, muscle tone and definition.

Chronic crash dieters lose muscle along with fat, and when they regain weight, they gain back mostly fat. Over time, yo-yo dieters end up with a higher body-fat percentage after they return to their original body weight than if they'd never lost the weight in the first place.

Avoid Rapid Weight Loss

For active people, what is a safe rate of weight loss? Most clinicians recommend a well-planned diet of at least 1,200 calories a day. With exercise, you shouldn't lose more than to 1 pound a week.

More rapid weight loss means you're losing too much muscle and may be dehydrating yourself. A 1- to 3-pound weight loss during a workout is fluid loss and should be replaced before your next workout to prevent dehydration.

Does everyone lose weight at the same rate?

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About the authors: Carol L. Otis, M.D., is Chief Medical Advisor to the Sanex WTA and UCLA student health physician. Roger Goldingay is a former professional soccer player. They are married and the co-authors of The Athletic Woman's Survival Guide.

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Foreword: Billie Jean King

Comments by Barb Harris
Editor in Chief,
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