Scales are Only one measurement
Scales are one number and they do not tell the full story. In fact scales can lie about fat loss progress. Here is how;
Calorie reduction, no exercise
You have been on a reduced calorie diet which has been quite effective at reducing your weight.
The scales say that you have lost 20 kilos and 4 dress sizes. But what about fat loss? It's quite likely that without exercise you will have lost muscle and fat.
Studies have shown that without exercise there will be lean tissue loss as well as bodyfat. So you would have lost less than 20 kilos of fat.
Calorie reduction, Cardiovascular exercise
If you lost 20kilos of weight on the scales but 6 dress sizes. This time you started cardiovascular exercise you may have lost closer to 20kilos of fat depending on the intensity of the cardiovascular exercise.
In fact with HITT cardiovascular exercise you may have preserved all your muscle or potentially added some muscle mass.
Because muscle tissue has a greater density than fat cells the volume that fat takes up is greater than muscle tissue.
In this case the actual fat loss is greater and your loss of overall body size is greater despit losing the same amount of weight.
Calorie reduction, weight training
Now, you have lost 20 kilos and 8 dress sizes (rough figures). You have been going to the gym and doing weight training 4 times times per week and while the scales say you have lost only 20 kilos. Your dress size and shape have changed dramatically.
You may have lost 25kilos of fat and gained 5kilos of muscle and once again muscle has a greater density than fat and takes up less volume.
Conclusion
It's possible to lose 20kilos in 20 weeks or 20kilos in a year. The faster you lose the weight the greater the chance that you will lose muscle mass.
It's also means a reduction in basal metabolic rate.
In reality the first 2 methods will reduce weight faster but may result in muscle mass losses.
The third method may take longer but the shape changes and fat loss will be much more dramatic and more noticeable.
It's also important to note that protein is important in the diet especially to reduce muscle mass losses.
Overall if you focus on fat loss and changing shape the results will give a muscle better result physically and will also help to build better habits for long lasting fat loss.
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