FACTor MYTH : “If you’re gaining weight, you’re getting fatter!”
Fact #1: “Don’t let your weight fool you, the number on the scale can be misleading!”
As I constantly remind my clients, “being lighter doesn’t always mean you are fitter,” or gaining weight isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The number on the scale says nothing about your body composition and it can’t tell you how much of your weight is muscle, fat, bone, or water. A petite but more muscular person may weigh more than a bigger person with more fat.
Your fitness goal shouldn’t be to just lose weight. Your fitness goal should be to change your body composition by increasing your lean muscle mass and decreasing your body fat percentage.
As you start weight training, you will build more muscle mass and gain muscle strength. Keep in mind that muscle has a greater density and takes up less space than fat. So, your weight may initially go up even though your body fat percentage is decreasing and you are getting leaner. You can weigh more while your clothes fit looser! Don’t let the number on the scale fool you. If you’re eating a clean, healthy diet and keeping up with your workouts, the extra pounds will eventually come off as your body’s metabolic rate gradually increases. Consistency is key; just keep moving and results will follow!
