Is it better to lose weight or lose inches?

Author: Dr. Abigail Fay III  |  Last update: Sunday, May 18, 2025

Inch loss is important if high waist circumference (belly fat) is more than 90 cm in males and 80 cm in females. It can affect your heart and other main organs with risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Weight loss scale misleads you, it only tells the weight but not the fat loss and muscle gained.

What is more important, losing weight or inches?

The verdict… Assessing numbers and inches both have their place in helping you pioneer your way to a healthier body - but don't get overly attached to either. Focus on weight loss if you're overweight, and if you've hit a healthy BMI but still have excess fat, switch to inches.

Why do I look thinner but weigh the same?

This happens because you lose body fat while gaining muscle. Your weight may stay the same, even as you lose inches, a sign that you're moving in the right direction. Typically a scale shows your weight, but it doesn't break down how much of that weight is muscle, fat, water, bones, or organs.

Do you lose inches or weight first?

It's possible to gain muscle and reduce body fat without actually seeing a change in your weight. This happens when you lose body fat while gaining muscle. Your weight may stay the same, even as you lose inches, a sign that you're moving in the right direction.

How many pounds do you have to lose before you lose an inch?

How quickly will you lose weight? The volunteers reduced their waist sizes by an average of 1 inch for every 4lb (1.81kg) they lost. So if you lose 1lb (0.45kg) a week you could hope to reduce your waistline by an inch after four weeks.

Losing Inches But Not Weight Loss? – Dr.Berg

How long does it take to lose 20 pounds?

To lose weight effectively and safely, aiming to lose 1 to 2 pounds (lbs) per week may be best. This means that losing 20 lbs may take 10 to 20 weeks. To lose weight, people will likely need to follow a healthy diet and get regular exercise. Some popular diets are effective initially but challenging to maintain.

Which body part loses fat first?

Mostly, losing weight is an internal process. You will first lose hard fat that surrounds your organs like liver, kidneys and then you will start to lose soft fat like waistline and thigh fat. The fat loss from around the organs makes you leaner and stronger.

How to flush out water weight?

  1. Exercise Regularly. Daily exercise provides several health benefits, including preventing water retention. ...
  2. Drink More Water. Drinking water to reduce water weight sounds counterintuitive, but it helps. ...
  3. Manage Salt Intake. ...
  4. Cut Carbs. ...
  5. Focus on Certain Foods and Herbs. ...
  6. Try Supplements. ...
  7. Up Your Caffeine Intake.

Why are my clothes looser but not losing weight?

You're losing fat and gaining muscle

Exercise changes your body composition. Simply put, fat takes up more space than muscle but doesn't necessarily weigh less. That net positive change shows up in the way your clothes fit. (Oh hello, looser pants.)

How much weight do you need to lose to go down a size?

The rule of thumb, Fernstrom says, is that losing 8 to 10 pounds translates to going down one size. Still, if you lose "up to 15 pounds, you may be OK in your old size," she says. But putting off buying new clothes until you really need them doesn't work for everyone.

Why am I not losing weight when I exercise and diet?

When the calories you burn equal the calories you eat, you reach a plateau. To lose more weight, you need to either increase your physical activity or decrease the calories you eat. Using the same approach that worked at first may maintain your weight loss, but it won't lead to more weight loss.

How to lose belly fat?

8 Ways to Lose Belly Fat and Live a Healthier Life
  1. Try curbing carbs instead of fats. ...
  2. Think eating plan, not diet. ...
  3. Keep moving. ...
  4. Lift weights. ...
  5. Become a label reader. ...
  6. Move away from processed foods. ...
  7. Focus on the way your clothes fit more than reading a scale. ...
  8. Hang out with health-focused friends.

How to break a weight loss plateau?

Tips to boost weight loss
  1. Having more filling foods that are high in fibre and protein.
  2. Reducing the food portions on your plate.
  3. You could also increase your levels of activity which can help to maintain weight loss.
  4. Consider keeping a food and activity diary for a few days.

Why am I gaining weight when I'm eating less and working out?

Key takeaways: Working out can cause short-term weight gain as your muscle mass increases. Post-workout inflammation may cause temporary weight fluctuations. Workout plateaus, supplement use, and dietary changes can also stall your weight-loss efforts.

How long does it take to lose 2 inches?

Setting Realistic Goals. Set a realistic and sustainable goal of losing 1 to 2 inches initially per month. Just because it is possible to lose more than 4 inches, it doesn't mean you should rush to lose the same number. Also, you must know that the rate of inch loss may differ from one body part to another.

What kills water weight?

Water weight is not usually a cause for concern, but it can be uncomfortable and recurring. Reducing salt and carbohydrate intake, keeping hydrated, and frequently exercising are all good ways to lose water weight and prevent it from returning.

Does drinking rice water help you lose weight?

Rice water is a low-calorie drink, but it's not a miraculous weight-loss cure. At best, the fluid and rice starch may make you feel full temporarily, which may help curb your appetite. But it may also prevent you from getting the adequate nutrition you need. And rice water may even contain trace amounts of arsenic.

What body part is the hardest to lose fat?

The abdomen is often one of the hardest places to lose body fat, particularly because of its deep connection to these hormonal processes.

Is it noticeable when someone loses 20 pounds?

A good rule of thumb is that people tend to notice your weight loss when you've lost around 10% of your starting weight, so if you started at 250lbs, people will start to notice when you've lost 25lbs. Naturally, the same amount of weight loss can look different on different people.

How did Kelly Clarkson lose weight?

Regular Exercise and Fitness Routines

In addition to her dietary changes, Kelly incorporated regular exercise into her daily routine. Her workout regimen included a mix of cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises, each of which contributed to her overall fitness and weight loss success.

How to drop pounds fast?

Methods of weight loss that scientific research supports include the following:
  1. Trying intermittent fasting. ...
  2. Tracking your diet and exercise. ...
  3. Eating mindfully. ...
  4. Eating protein with meals. ...
  5. Cutting back on sugar and refined carbohydrates. ...
  6. Eating plenty of fiber. ...
  7. Balancing gut bacteria. ...
  8. Getting a good night's sleep.

Previous article
What races don't bald?
Next article
How to get rid of sunburn dark skin overnight?