Calculating & Interpreting Body Measure: Introduction
Weighing yourself on a scale seems to be the method most of us use when determining our “fatness.” Our bodies however are made up of other cell material like muscle, bone, and non-fat tissue are Lean Body Mass. Changes in these components come on very slowly, so if you gain one pound in one week, it usually is caused by a gain of fat weight. Some situations can cause a misleading fluctuation in body weight that is not caused by fat gain or loss, such as fluid retention before menstruation or fluid losses in vomiting and diarrhea. So when menstruation begins or you become hydrated again after an illness, your seeming weight loss or gain disappears. It takes about 3,500 extra calories to put on a pound of body fat, so it takes a lot of overeating to change fat weight quickly. Weight on a scale can also be deceptive for a person with a higher amount of lean body mass like an athlete who strength trains. They will weigh more at the same height than an average person, but it is not fat tissue, but lean body mass.
Trying to establish an Ideal Body Weight for each person is not an accurate reality, because there are so many factors affecting this. Some of these are age, body shape, genetic background, gender, medical conditions, level of physical activity, and others. A Healthy Weight can exist in a variety of ranges of pounds based on these factors.