Times are changing for the better. Experts are now seeing that weight loss can’t be as cavalier as it has been in the past.
Obesity medicine experts are pushing the needle to promote body composition over a BMI focus. This is something that is super important to know more about, especially if you are advising patients on weight loss or are on a weight loss journey of your own.
If we are eating less and exercising more AND are not optimizing nutrition and the kind of exercise we do, then we are likely losing excess lean muscle mass. When we lose lean mass, we lower our metabolism and we also become deconditioned.
Even my clients who are eating properly and strength training AND being monitored by me and my partner can easily lose muscle mass if they dip too far into a deficit with inadequate nutrition.
Whether we want to admit it or not, weight loss that is going to be sustainable has to be done in a way that preserves as much lean mass as possible.
The plot thickens when we are entering pre-menopause and menopause. Then there are additional things we have to pay attention to.
So, what can we do?
Simple things. Understand our body type and our tendencies when we go into a calorie deficit. Focus on maintaining muscle mass with strength training and nutrition AND not overdoing our cardio. Or, if we are endurance athletes, making sure our nutrition is timed properly.
I love optimal weight loss. I do not love suboptimal weight loss.
The day when we can all agree to agree on how to approach weight loss is likely not going to happen. But, preservation of lean muscle mass is something I think we can all agree on.
About Ali Novitsky, MD
Dr. Novitsky is certified by the Life Coach School, Obesity Board Certified, a physician speaker, and fitness enthusiast. Ali helps women physicians achieve their optimal health with scientific, yet intuitive, principles that work.
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