Stupid question but....

[Lou44]

Could someone please explain to me how you can get thinner (i.e lose inches) but not lose weight (i.e on the scales).

I understand the theory of muscle weighing more than fat but what if you don't exercise any more than normal? How can you be increasing your muscle mass?

Is it to do with your protein intake?

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Stupid question but....

Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat ... a pound of anything is still 16 ounces.

Muscle and fat take up different amounts of space in your body ... so as you lose fat and gain muscle, the scale can remain the same.

The scale isn't the final determiner of change in your body.

[Georgiana]

Re: Stupid question but....

Other than what J. already said...

I'm not sure what you consider "normal". For my brother, "normal" is more than 5 hours per day... for me is less (obvious from my number of posts! ).

Low-carbohydrate diets with an appropriate protein intake (like Atkins, if followed correctly) are muscle-sparing, meaning that you will lose mostly fat and little, if any, muscle mass. With regular exercise, your muscle mass will likely increase... more than on a low-fat calorie-restricted diet.

You might want to read this sticky too: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...s-can-lie.html

[Baylor]

Re: Stupid question but....

Loss of inches not weight..

From Dr Atkins:

"Remember your tape measure is a better friend to you than your scale, not only more accurate but better able to report on the actual fat loss (not just temporary water) losses this diet achieves.
In checking thousands of patients' measurements, we have found that a dramatic loss of inches is invariable on this diet. This is true even at times when temporarily no loss of pounds occurred, so long as the patient had been true to the diet: This is due to the shrinking of fat cells that occurs as they are mobilized to supply the body's energy on the anti-carbohydrate regime."