Dr.BariatricHTX said:There is also a quality change that the scan cannot see.
Pushing back on Dr.BariatricHTX here. I think this board over-worries about lean mass. Some lean loss is obligatory — you need less muscle to move a smaller body, and preserving mass you no longer need is not a health outcome. The question is whether strength and function held, and mine did.
nick_newbie said:Two DEXA scans eleven months apart: down 24kg total, of which the scan says 6kg was lean.
OMG yes. lean mass + resistance training is the combo. Can confirm.
InsuranceTom said:I think this board over-worries about lean mass.
Body composition tracking via bioimpedance on lean mass (InBody scan every 3 months):
| Metric | Baseline | Month 3 | Month 6 | Month 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skeletal Muscle (lbs) | 74 | 70 | 69 | 70 |
| Body Fat (lbs) | 106 | 74 | 52 | 44 |
| Body Fat % | 38% | 32% | 25% | 20% |
| Visceral Fat (cm²) | 151 | 126 | 86 | 61 |
Note: skeletal muscle mass dipped initially then recovered with consistent resistance training + high protein. The visceral fat reduction is where the metabolic magic happens.
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Shop Reference StandardsOne thing that is still open after laura_annarbor’s answer:
What fraction of loss being lean mass is actually normal, because the numbers quoted here range from 10% to 40% and cannot all be right?
Closing the loop on my own question.
Follow-up: I dropped the cardio to two easy sessions and put the effort into three real lifting sessions. The scale slowed and the scan improved.