Picture this: You get on the scale. You “gained weight” or maybe you “lost weight.” Before you get discouraged, remember there’s much more to this number than meets the eye.
Enter composition. Body composition takes into account a person’s fat mass and fat-free (lean) mass, which includes (muscle, bone, and water). Testing your body composition can be a great way to monitor and reach realistic health and fitness goals.
Let’s dive a little deeper here. You might want to “lose weight.” What does that really mean? The nitty-gritty matters. But when it comes to preventing morbidity and premature mortality, it’s actually more important to be fit than skinny.
In other words, maintaining or gaining lean muscle mass is just as or more important than losing fat. It’s said that strong is the new skinny and I agree with that statement. (Of course it’s possible and ideal to have both. I am not body shaming anyone who has trouble gaining fat or muscle.)
From a clinical standpoint, muscle is king. Experts agree that it’s important to have a healthy ratio of fat to muscle. Skeletal muscle and bone density help you perform daily activities and prevent bone loss. Not to mention muscle helps you burn more calories and can increase energy levels.
Of course there’s no magic bullet here. Physical activity, paired with a healthy diet, can help you lose weight and achieve and maintain a healthy body composition. Even moderate exercise—30 minutes most days of the week—can bring yield health benefits.
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