Focus on losing body fat, not lean muscle or water weight.
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Key takeaways
Celebrate the wins in how you feel and how your clothes fit.
Don’t fixate on the scales and instead look at overall health and wellbeing
When we’re trying to reach a healthier weight, the number on the scales is only one part of the picture.
Your clothes fit better
When your clothes fit more comfortably, you know your hard work is paying off, regardless of what the scales say.
Dietitian Gemma Cosgriff says this is particularly important around your waist, where excess fat can increase your risk of developing long-term health problems like heart disease and diabetes.
“It could be worth getting someone like a dietitian to show you how to measure yourself correctly in the right places to see if you’re losing body fat,” she says.
You're building muscle
While fat and lean muscle weigh the same kilo for kilo, their composition is different.
Muscle looks leaner than fat, so if you’ve been exercising (and particularly if you’ve been doing weight resistance workouts) you might look slimmer, but the scales stay the same.
"Building more muscle also helps to burn energy more efficiently and is good for your bone density as you age," says Cosgriff.
Your wellbeing has improved
If you’re eating well and exercising more, you might also start feeling better in your own body.
You may feel lighter, fitter and find it easier to cope with life’s demands.
Research shows healthy weight loss can help to improve your psychological wellbeing. One study found participants felt increased vitality and less anxiety and depression after 12 months of following a healthy weight loss program.1
Your vitals are improving
Weight loss can help to reduce your risk of chronic conditions and improve your overall health status.
Nearly 60% of type 2 diabetes cases could be prevented or delayed by maintaining a healthy weight.2 If you have already been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, weight loss can help improve your blood sugar levels.
“If you’re trying to lose weight to help manage your diabetes, then your blood sugar levels and the fact you are controlling them is a measure of success,” Cosgriff explains.
Talk to your doctor about regularly checking other important measures like your cholesterol levels and blood pressure too. Weight loss can help to reduce these measures, as well as your risk of cancer.3
Being overweight is linked to 13 types of cancer, including breast, liver, kidney, bowel, ovarian and uterine.4 Weight management (via eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly) is one of the most important ways to reduce your risk.
How to maintain weight loss
"Losing body fat is great, but keeping if off should be the main goal," says Cosgriff. "Avoid diets promising rapid weight loss and instead make lifestyle changes you can sustain."
Cosgriff recommends aiming for a steady loss of 500 grams to one kilo per week.
“It’s not about losing weight and feeling great now, and then feeling bad down the track because you have not sustained your results.”
And while it’s great to get ideas from friends and family to tweak our efforts, don’t compare yourself to others.
“It’s important to run your own race when it comes to weight loss.”
At Bupa, trust is everything
Our health and wellbeing information is regularly reviewed and maintained by a team of healthcare experts, to ensure its relevancy and accuracy. Everyone's health journey is unique and health outcomes vary from person to person.
This content is not a replacement for personalised and specific medical, healthcare, or other professional advice. If you have concerns about your health, see your doctor or other health professional.
1Swencionis, C., Wylie-Rosett, J., Lent, M., Ginsberg, M., Cimino, C., Wassertheil-Smoller, S., Caban, A., & Segal-Isaacson, C. (2016). Weight Change, Psychological Well-Being, and Vitality in Adults Participating in a Cognitive-Behavioral Weight Loss Program. Health Psychology, 32(4), 439-446.
2Diabetes Australia. (2022). Prevention. Diabetes Australia.
3Heart UK. (2024). Looking after your weight. Heart UK.
4Cancer Council Victoria. (2024). Weight and cancer: What is the link?. Cancer Council Victoria.
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