Scales do not tell us the truth about our bodies
In today’s world, the number on the scales has become something of a sentence. But does the number on the scales really reflect your state of health? If you train, take care of yourself and at the same time see “the wrong” number — this article is for you.
Body Mass Index is a tool, not the truth
This index is calculated by a simple formula: weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in metres. However, this method has a critical flaw — it measures total body mass, but not the fat level.
Moreover, in the International Journal of Epidemiology (2014) and an article from the AMA Journal of Ethics, these are modern scientific discussions that BMI (body mass index) was based primarily on data from European men, namely French gendarmes and Scottish soldiers, and often does not take into account the characteristics of the female body and other ethnic groups.
- Muscles are much denser than fat. Strength athletes or bodybuilders can have a high BMI and fall into the obesity category, even though they are in ideal physical shape.
- A study in the journal The Lancet showed that people with a BMI of 22.5 to 25 usually have the best health. But don’t rush to be upset if your figure is higher!
It is not HOW MUCH you weigh that is important, but WHAT EXACTLY weighs.
If you have gained weight because your muscles have become stronger — you have only become healthier.
Health risks only increase when weight increases due to fat, not muscle.
A more informative indicator is the distribution of fat in the body
- Men more often accumulate fat in the abdominal area, the apple type, while women — on the hips, buttocks and arms, the pear type.
- Fat around the waist is a serious risk factor for ischaemic heart disease. The higher the waist-to-hip ratio, the higher the likelihood of developing chronic diseases.
The problem of “Skinny Fat” and the deficit trap
Many women face the skinny fat effect: weight is normal, but the body looks flabby and like jelly. This happens due to low muscle mass.
- Starvation does not work because a severe calorie deficit makes the female body panic. The body starts burning muscle to reduce energy expenditure and holds onto fat as a last resort.
- Instead of exhaustion — recomposition. Strength training combined with a sufficient amount of protein forces the body to use fat as fuel for building muscle.
Scales only show the total sum. Your task is to ensure that in this sum there are more muscles and less excess fat.