Why Are You Losing Inches but Not Weight?

It is quite natural to feel disappointed when after all the hard work you have done but not managed to lose any weight. You may be feeling better as a whole but your body weight has not changed at all. But don't worry. This could be because you have lost fat but you have put on muscles. When your lean muscle mass increases, your weight increases as well, even though you notice a decrease in overall inches.

To know the answer to, "Why am I losing inches but not losing weight?" you need to understand the difference between fat and muscle. Although a pound of muscle is equal to a pound of fat, both are made up of different substances and take up different amounts of space in the body. Fat has a lumpy appearance and is always going to take up more space as compared to muscle, which is smooth and lean. A pound of fat is like a bowl of jello, whereas a pound of lean muscle will no larger be the size of a baseball.

That is the reason why you are going to look much leaner at 150lbs with 14% body fat as compared to someone with 120lbs of body weight and 35% of body fat. It means that even when your body weight is on the higher side, you are leaner because your body fat percentage is on the lower side.

Your aim should be to lose fat, and not lower your body weight. You are going to look leaner with a low body fat percentage. Even if your weight stays the same, it means you are burning fat and putting on lean muscle mass, which is actually a good thing. Still, you can tweak your diet a bit and change your workout routine to break a weight-loss plateau.

Why am I losing inches but not losing weight? You already know the answer, but you may be wondering if you are going to enjoy any health benefits for losing inches. The answer is in yes. You will be leaner, so you are going to look good in whatever you wear. You are also going to enjoy several health benefits of losing fat. With a lower body fat percentage, you lower your risk of developing certain health issues, such as diabetes, heart disease, sleep problems, hypertension, and even cancer.

What's more, your metabolism will become faster when you replace pounds of fat with lean muscle. The more muscles you have, the higher the number of calories burned by your body. In fact, you can add an extra 50 calories per day by putting on 4 pounds of muscle. Those additional calories you burn everyday can play a big role in overcoming a weight-loss plateau.

You should not have your emphasis on losing weight only. It is a good idea to lose inches even when your weight has not changed much. The better idea is to take a combined approach and consider both inches and pounds lost.

Consider modifying your diet to change your weight – it is important actually when you are overweight and want to reach your healthy BMI weight range. Once you are there, you should stop checking your weight and have more focus on measuring inches lost.

It is important to point out that what measurements and weight you aim for is your own personal preference. Still, it is always a good idea to work with a nutritionist to help set realistic goals. They help you set goals suitable for your body type. This enables you to lose weight in a healthy way.