Weight - what does it mean?

While most people talk about losing weight, what they are actually after is a loss of body fat. In fact, for successful long-term weight loss, the goal is to lose body fat while preserving muscle mass. Body weight is a poor measure of the amount of fat we carry and changes measured on the scales do not necessarily reflect changes in body fat stores. Using a number of measurements of body composition will provide a better overall picture of body composition and its changes. Measurements of "skinfold" fat levels and body girths or circumferences (e.g. waist and hip measurements) are all useful to build up a picture of body fat loss or gain. Importantly, such measurements should be made by people who are trained in kinanthropometry, and following standardised protocols.