Body weight vs. body size - do you know the difference?

 While they are linked (people with a higher body weight tend to be larger people than people with a lower body weight…in SOME situations), I think it’s important to make the distinction because when I see questions like “is weight training affecting my weight loss" I think understanding and somewhat separating the two concepts is important to understanding why strength training is important.

 

 

Your body weight is made up of many factors INCLUDING: body fat, fluid retention, the weight of your bones (and obese people can have very dense bones). On a day-to-day level your body weight can fluctuate because of how much you have or have not drank (we retain water when we are dehydrated, eat too much salt, etc.), whether or not you have poo’d lately, if you just worked out (NEVER weigh after a workout as a general rule. It’s a recipe in depression! Your muscles are holding onto water and other stuff to repair themselves and most likely  you will weigh more than you did when you woke up this morning).

 

Body size, however, is not as mandated by body weight as we might think. I offer myself up as an example. I am 200 lbs. most days (197-200). I wear a size 10/12 in most stores and, yes, even in some designer clothes. I know post-ops my same height who weigh significantly less than me and wear the same or higher clothing sizes. This may be because those folks didn’t focus as much on weight training as I did (which isn’t a bad thing but a personal choice). My point here is that I maintain a certain  body SIZE because I do strength training even though my body weight trends higher than damn near every post-op…um…on the planet.

 

For the three cents it’s worth, here’s my advice. While it’s important to take heed of the scale as a tool in managing your weight, you need more data for a more complete picture. Regularly have your body fat measured. Take measurements of your body parts with a tape measure. These things will round out what the scale says because while you may stall for a long time, you could actually be losing inches and body fat. But if you let the scale tell your entire story…you’d be fretting and calling yourself a failure.

 Well said.

Very well said!   If I could have a dollar for everyone who says, "You weight THAT much??????"   Thinking I weigh about 30 pounds less than what I do.
I am tall too, Nik....and petite has never been in my vocabulary to describe myself. I got down to 162 last year for a week and looked friggin anorexic.

Amen.

I'm 5'4, 145 lbs most days. My pant size? I have anything ranging from a 0 to a 4 but usually a 2. I get the "you're 115 soaking wet" but nope. I'm techically overweight according to the charts : )

Strength training rocks the house. It gives your body the changes you want to see (I also think that of running - in fact, I saw a shirt that said These Aren't Thunder Thighs They're Runners Legs".

lol... me too...
5'4" 160 lbs - size 6... (at 145 I was small 4  - and did not look my best - too old and too much loose skin on face and arms, skinny butt)

My therapist and I got into this conversation last night because I'm still having a difficult time wrapping my head around what the scale says and what my clothing size says. The scale hasn't moved much, but I'm losing inches like crazy and changing pants every six weeks or so (well, not "literally" changing pants...buying new ones). 

I have finally pushed the scale to teh side in my journey. I have clothing that matches the size i like for myself. When it gets tight, I moderate what I eat a bit and the clothing becomes less tight. If I look at the stupid scale I'll get frustrated and down on myself. If I can focus on size (as measured by my clothing) as opposed to my weight, I feel better about myself. If I gain another ten pounds but don't change my size, then overall that's OKAY

For me the big deal has been that a year ago when I had my ****ygectomy, I lost a lot of muscle mass with the need to basically remain near motionless for 5 weeks, and it's taken me a long time to get the muscle mass to return to where it was, and that is my battle far more than what I weigh.

But ultimately, I want to retain the size that matters and to hell with that stupid scale.

 Wooooow. Lith. I feel somehow like a proud mama. Although I have no right...

Yes, I do know the difference! Vive la difference!

I think, tho, where many well-meaning folks get bogged down is they put all their eggs (i.e., self-worth, self-esteem, measure of success) in one "reach that number or bust" basket. And it's a shame, isn't it? That all or nothing thinkin' rears its ugly head once again....

Everyone's journey and goals and ideas of achievement are going to vary. Hell, even our surgeon's ideas of achievement and success vary, as do many notable researchers and academics. And I think too that is where I get so tripped up.

I want to be strong, I want to live a long life, I want to be healthy, I want to carry myself with pride and elegance. I believe I can do that by being mindful of the number of the scale, but ranking it's importance much lower than measurements, non-vanity clothing sizes, and fitness achievements. But doing so (weighting the scale number below health/strength strides/lean body mass/% of body fat) is hard to do.

I'd like to to think there is a perfect balance between weight loss (number on the scale) and lean body mass/body fat, but I haven't discovered it yet (not that I'm out prowling for it all hours of the day). I'm a work in progress (daily so it seems) regarding the mental hurdles of comparing myself and my journey with others, of relaxing the tight self-restraints of weight loss #s being tied to my success, and of achieving fitness according to my standards and no one elses.

And if you haven't yet, I highly recommend reading any (heck all) of Miriam Nelson's (Ph.D. Tufts University) "Strong Women Stay"....series of books.

Anyway, as Dr. Nelson believes, strong women do stay young, stay slim, have strong bones, eat well, beat arthritis, have strong hearts and strong backs. And that's what I'm working toward...always.