PharmacoVig_BOS said:The intervention that works is boring and well evidenced: resistance training two to three times a week at a genuine effort, protein at 1.4 to 2.0…
Filing a mild objection. Mild because I might be wrong; an objection because nobody has addressed the case that does not fit. 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.
FitDadDave said:Two DEXA scans eleven months apart: down 24kg total, of which the scan says 6kg was lean.
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 | 270 lbs | 215 lbs | 197 lbs |
| Fat mass | 100 lbs | 70 lbs | 47 lbs |
| Lean mass | 153 lbs | 149 lbs | 154 lbs |
| Body fat % | 39% | 35% | 21% |
Lean mass preserved — actually GAINED 1-2 lbs thanks to progressive overload + 1.6g/kg protein. The lean mass discussion needs to include body comp data, not just scale weight.
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Shop Reference StandardsOne thing that is still open after pete_nash’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.
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.