Losing fat, keeping muscle. Why the scales hide half the story

Weight is a blend

Your weight is fat, muscle, water, bone and whatever you ate yesterday, all added together. When the number drops quickly, part of it can be water and part of it can be muscle. Muscle is what carries your shopping up the stairs and keeps you steady on the Westwood paths in Beverley. Losing it makes daily life harder, and it often makes weight easier to regain.

Protein, spread rather than piled

The BHF guide to protein gives the UK reference of 0.75g per kg of body weight each day for a healthy adult, which is about 45g for a woman of 60kg, around 9 stone 6lb. It also suggests spreading protein across meals rather than saving it all for dinner. Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass, so this is the simplest lever you have. Our page on how much protein you need goes further.

Easy protein swaps

• Breakfast. Eggs, Greek style yoghurt or porridge made with milk instead of toast alone.
• Lunch. Add a tin of beans, tuna or a chicken breast to a salad or soup.
• Dinner. Fish twice a week, as the NHS advice on fish and shellfish recommends, including 1 portion of oily fish such as salmon or sardines.
• Plant options. Lentils, chickpeas and tofu all count.

Give muscle a reason to stay

Muscle that is not used slowly fades, whatever you eat. You do not need a gym. Squats to a chair, step-ups on the bottom stair, carrying full bags home and press-ups against the kitchen worktop all count. Twice a week is enough to start. If the gym is not your thing, read our guide to weight loss without the gym.

Slow and steady protects strength

Very low calorie plans push the body to use muscle as fuel. A gentler pace, where you still eat proper meals, gives you a better chance of losing mostly fat. It also feels far easier to live with. Our article on why diets fail explains the trap of going too hard too fast.

Measure what matters

Try a tape around the waist every 2 weeks, notice how your clothes fit, and see whether everyday tasks feel lighter. Those signs tell you more than a daily weigh-in.

Seeing the full picture

At Willerby Nutrition, the free assessment includes a body scan that measures your muscle, fat and water, so you can follow more than 1 number. Members have breakfast at the club and get daily follow-up from coaches trained in nutrition. If you have kidney problems or another condition that affects how much protein you should eat, your GP is the person to ask first.