Dr.RaviCardio said:There is also a quality change that the scan cannot see.
I read this differently from Dr.RaviCardio, on substance rather than tone. 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:I lifted three times a week throughout and still lost lean mass.
DEXA scan update relevant to lean mass:
Scanned at months 0, 6, and 12. Here are the body comp numbers:
| Baseline | Month 6 | Month 12 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total mass | 247 lbs | 217 lbs | 204 lbs |
| Fat mass | 107 lbs | 67 lbs | 54 lbs |
| Lean mass | 160 lbs | 150 lbs | 151 lbs |
| Body fat % | 40% | 30% | 23% |
Lean mass preserved — actually GAINED 1-2 lbs thanks to progressive overload + 1.4g/kg protein. The lean mass discussion needs to include body comp data, not just scale weight.
DataDave 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) | 77 | 69 | 69 | 73 |
| Body Fat (lbs) | 89 | 77 | 55 | 43 |
| Body Fat % | 41% | 35% | 28% | 20% |
| Visceral Fat (cm²) | 154 | 129 | 89 | 64 |
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 StandardsFollowing on from TrialNerd_Beth — and this may be the naive question:
Whether resistance training and protein change the ratio or only the absolute amount?
Reporting back.
Second scan under matched conditions, six months apart, same time of day: the lean number came back nearly a kilo higher than the panic scan. Strength was up throughout.