What should your goal weight be?
If you’re like most women, you might answer this question based on the weight you used to be when you were 21. Or maybe you have some ideal number in mind that you associate with being “skinny.”
In reality, if you’re focusing solely on the number on the scale, you’re missing the bigger picture. Weight alone doesn’t tell us how healthy or fit we are. What really matters, when it comes to measuring our progress, is:
Body Composition: How much of your body is made up of fat vs. lean tissues (like muscle, bone, and water).
Sustainable weight loss and sustainable health hinges on your body composition. Your goal should be to improve it, not just lose weight.
Let’s break down why body composition matters, how to accurately measure it, and then how to improve it.
What Is Body Composition?
Body composition is the proportions of fat mass and lean mass in your body. Lean mass includes your muscles, bones, water, and organs. Fat mass includes both essential fat (what’s necessary for survival) and excess fat (what most people are aiming to lose).
The scale, on the other hand, just adds up all the parts of your body and gives you one number. As we’ve all experienced, that number goes up and down a lot. Even a lopsided floor can have you gaining and dropping five pounds in five seconds.
Why Body Composition Matters More Than Weight
Let’s look at an example:
A 150-pound woman with 25% body fat looks and feels very different than a 150-pound woman with 35% body fat. They weigh the same, but their appearance, health profiles, energy levels, and risk factors for chronic disease can be worlds apart.
Let’s look at each component of your body composition and why you’ll want to understand your measurements better:
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- Muscle Mass: The muscles in your body is actually an organ. And not just any organ, muscle is the organ of longevity. It plays a central role in your overall health and aging. It regulates your metabolism and fights age-related diseases. Maintaining muscle mass is linked to a longer life and a reduced risk of chronic diseases. Want it, protect it, fight for it. This portion of your body is your biggest health and weight loss wingman.
- Bone Mass: We also want to fight for our bone mass. A strong skeletal system supports mobility and protects against injury. Strength training as well as a diet rich in calcium, vitamin D, and protein, is key to maintaining strong, dense bones.
- Water Weight: Your water weight fluctuates daily based on your hydration, sodium intake, hormones, and sleep. Don’t panic over a 2-5 pound overnight swing. It’s often just water.
- Fat Mass: Fat is necessary for survival and health. When our fat drops too low, we experience all sorts of health issues, especially as women. While necessary in small amounts, too much—especially visceral fat around your organs—raises your risk of heart diseases, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.
Why The Scale Can Mislead You
The number you see on the scale is a tally of everything: fat. Muscle, bones, water, even your microbiome. To put things in perspective, one gallon of water weighs over 8 pounds. So, even being slightly dehydrated or bloated can skew the number on your scale.
Other factors affect the scale weight too, like:
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- Where you’re at in your menstrual cycle
- How well you slept last night
- When you last ate or used the bathroom
- Whether you’re wearing clothes or shoes
- The surface the scale is on
In short, the scale doesn’t know the difference between muscle, fat, bone, and water. And that’s why it often fails you. These fluctuations, while we’re on a weight loss journey, confuse and discourage us.
The better option? Track your body composition instead.
How to Measure Body Composition
In the past, accurate body composition assessments required one of three high-tech tools:
- DEXA scan—The gold standard but costly and not easily accessible
- Bod Pod, which uses air displacement to measure body composition
- Four-point segmental bioelectrical impedance devices like the InBody scanner
Now, certain at-home scales can give you detailed body composition data. In my home, I use the HUME Health 4-point analysis scale. It tracks my muscle mass, fat mass, water weight, and bone density.
This scale is FSA/HSA eligible. You can also use my code “LEAN” for a discount.
How to Improve Your Body Composition
Now let’s talk strategy. Below, we’ll talk about how to set healthy body composition goals that are right for your body.
For most of us, the goal is simple: reduce fat mass, preserve or build lean muscle mass. Here’s how:
📌 Prioritize Protein
Protein preserves lean muscle mass and supports muscle growth during a season of fat loss. Aim to eat 1 gram of protein per pound of your goal body weight daily. Spread your protein goal evenly across your meals—don’t save it all for dinner. Each meal should include a solid protein source (30-40 grams).
📌 Strength Train
Lifting weights builds muscle, increases metabolism, and improves insulin sensitivity. Complete at least three weight lifting workouts per week. Focus on compound movements, like squats, deadlifts, push-ups, and rows. These give the most bang for your buck when it comes to building and preserving lean muscle mass.
Over time, your goal should be progressive overload—gradually increase the amount you lift to continually challenge your muscles and encourage adaption.
📌 Eat More Whole Foods
Fill your plate with nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods. Think grass fed meat, leafy greens, berries, legumes, whole grains, fatty fish, nuts, and seeds. These foods will support your hormones, digestion, and energy levels, all of which are crucial for fat loss and muscle retention.
📌 Don’t Skip Downtime
Sleep and stress management are key to fat loss and your overall health. Poor sleep drives cravings and reduces muscle recovery. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep. Chronic stress elevates cortisol, which can lead to fat storage, especially around the belly. Try daily deep breathing exercises, journaling, yoga, walks outside, or counseling to sooth daily stress.
📌 Consider Reverse Dieting
If you’ve been dieting for a long time, your metabolism may have slowed. Slowly increasing your daily calorie intake while monitoring weight and body composition can give your body a needed break. Reverse dieting, ultimately, will raise your metabolic rate without raising your body weight. Before you try reverse dieting, read this guide to avoid the 3 biggest mistakes people make.
What Should Your Body Fat Percentage Be?
Your ideal body fat percentage depends on your goals, health status, and personal preferences—but there are a few health guidelines to consider.
Healthy Ranges:
- Women: 18-34% is generally considered healthy
- Men: 10-24% is considered ideal for health and function
For optimal hormonal function and fertility, many women feel best between 21% and 29%. Below 17%, menstrual irregularities are common. If women reach below 12% body fat, serious health risks arise—things like fatigue, heart rhythm problems, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis.
Risk Thresholds:
Over 35% for women and over 25% for men: At this point, people see an increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, stroke, sleep apnea, and certain cancers.
Ultimately, the goal isn’t to chase the lowest number—it’s to find the sweet spot where you feel strong, energized, and healthy.
Body Composition: The Metric That Matters
If you want a body that looks and functions at its best, stop chasing a goal weight. Build a healthier body composition.
Use tools like DEXA scans when available, or opt for an at-home four-point body composition scale like the one from HUME. With a clear picture of your composition, you’ll be set up to set and track your goals the right way.
Ready to take control of your progress? Join LEAN—together, we’ll reach your healthiest, happiest composition.
