Girls - Why you shouldn't use scales

This is not always the case, hence the thread. Two years ago I was a whole 7lbs lighter but I'm in much better shape (emphasis on the word shape) now.

Oh lawd.

Unless you are losing a higher percentage of your muscle than fat, then you are losing body fat. Bare in mind, typical untrained females will have little lean body mass to lose at all ...

That is not what you said - you said weight loss = leaner body which isn't absolutely correct or else you wouldn't get two people at the same height and weight with vastly different bodies such as the ones posted in the OP. And like you said it's the lack of lean body mass in most untrained females which prevents many of them losing weight and becoming lean at the same time. Lowering your body weight will not give you a leaner body by default.

It's not good to use JUST the scales, but they definitely are helpful if you're trying to lose body fat.

Maybe if you are obese. If you train and are just trying to loose body fat the scales wont be much help as fat doesnt weigh much compared to muscle.
The scales could say you have gaind weight when you could have dropped fat and gained muscle.

You don't have to be obese for it to help. Just being over-weight it is helpful.
Like I've said, it's not the ONLY thing you should pay attention to, but that doesn't make it irrelevent.

For someone trying to go from the left hand picture to the right hand picture it wont be much help, if anything the scales would need to go up

Clearly out of the two people in the OP, one is trained and one isnt, which i HOPE you can see.

OF COURSE lowering BF% will make you leaner because BY DEFAULT your fat:muscle ratio will be lower from the weight loss, how can you not see this !?

Yes and they are the same weight.

Muscle mass determines how lean someone is, not weight on it's own.

Losing fat doesn't automatically mean someone, especially a woman has enough muscle remaining to be considered lean.

Hence why you get girls who are a size 8 or even 6 with love hugs and flabby bellies. I already told you I'm leaner than I was when I was 7lbs lighter. I don't see how my point could be illustrated any clearer than it has been.

Who's saying the girl on the right isnt 6ft5 and the one on the left 4ft8??? Body composition is barely comparable by just counting weight on its own. Should I even have to say this !?

Who's saying they aren't the same height? Are you trying to argue that it is impossible for two people, or the same person to have the same weight and different body composition? If you are then you are wrong. If not I don't know why you're arguing.


I am 12 and what is this? Muscle mass doesn't determine how lean somebody is at all! Its the ratio of FAT to MUSCLE on a person which determines their BF%. Their BF% shows how LEAN they are.


Being 'considered lean' is relative to whoever your comparing it too.


Again, you keep chopping and changing your argument and you are becoming confused. BF does show how lean someone is but that doesn't directly challenge the point that when someone loses weight, they don't automatically have a low BF percentage. Girl on the left is obviously small yet is still flabby and would not in any way be construed as lean - ever. So no, to an extent being considered lean is not relative. And if same girl lost another 7lbs she would still not be lean, because she does not have enough muscle mass to begin with. This will not even out enough simply by losing weight. She'd have to gain muscle which could mean gaining weight which would then mean she'd be leaner at a higher weight. Your argument doesn't stand.

The ONLY person you should be comparing yourself to, is yourself, and to deny you get leaner (lose BF%) when losing weight is ludicrous, regardless of if said person is lean compared to some athlete at the same weight.


I am comparing myself to myself, hence why I mentioned that I am leaner at a higher weight than I was when I was 9 stone. I also never said losing weight doesn't mean losing BF, I said losing weight doesn't always mean you are becoming leaner.


Why is this relevant?? Any girl can increase their muscle:fat ratio by lifting weights, which would ultimately make them leaner.

And by lifting weights and gaining muscle more often than not means one gains weight...which would means being heavier than before and leaner. Therefore losing weight does not automatically mean you are becoming leaner.

I'm beginning to think your definition of lean is completely different. Lean to me means increased muscle definition and not flabby, not simply being 'smaller'.

No lol, how many times do I have to explain???

Lean refers to a LOW BF%, aka having a relatively low fat:muscle ratio.

This isn't the opposite to what I said, low BF = better defined muscles and less flab. I know what BF is, no need to keep repeating it.

The girl on the left is small in terms of scale weight and inches yet has a high BF percentage. This is the crux of the thread and also highlights my point.

Lol.

If your losing weight in the scale you are becoming leaner (dropping bf%)

What is your point exactly? That an untrained female isn't lean, even though she doesn't weigh much on a scale? No **** Sherlock.

Losing weight on the scale does not always mean you are becoming leaner is my point.

If said female is untrained she is unlikely to become lean after losing 3lbs, 7lbs or 14lbs.

Which is why OP suggested girls shouldn't look at the scales as a sign of progression if they want to look 'fit' i.e. lean.

Instead of being rude and ignorant, actually try de-constructing my points? Maybe you won't because you can't and you are too proud to lose face and admit your initial blanket statement was wrong.

One things for sure, I advise you never give women any training advice if you would tell someone who is a size 6 and flabby that in order for her to get leaner and lose body fat she should simply 'lose more weight'.

Like I've stated various times, the height of the said female is unknown, which nullifies any comparison to a lean person.

And yes I am saying she should lose weight and/or gain muscle to get leaner because by definition, leanness is having a lower fat:muscle ratio which she would acquire by losing body fat, as I've stated already.