Why Losing Weight Might Be The Wrong Goal
Let’s talk about the one fitness goal we’ve all heard forever: lose weight. For decades, it's been the gold standard. The smaller the number on the scale, the more successful we’re supposed to feel. But if you’re a woman over the age of 35, I feel safe in assuming you’ve had moments, maybe years, where you've lost weight and still didn’t feel better. I've been there. I was lighter, but not necessarily stronger. The number went down, but my energy didn’t go up.
That’s because weight loss doesn’t always mean what we think it does.
Somewhere along the way, we were sold the idea that weight is the most important measure of health or success. But your body doesn’t care about the scale, it cares about what that weight is made of. And that’s where something called body recomposition comes in.
Body recomposition is simply the process of losing fat and gaining (or preserving) muscle. It sounds technical, but it’s really just a smarter, more sustainable way to reshape your body from the inside out. The best part? You don’t have to obsess over the scale. The scale doesn’t actually know what it's measuring, it just spits out a number. And that number can be so misleading.
You could gain five pounds of muscle and lose five pounds of fat and technically weigh the same. But your clothes would fit better, your posture would be stronger, your joints would thank you, and you’d probably feel like a total badass. That’s the power of recomposition — it changes how your body functions, how it looks, and how you feel without chasing “less.”
This approach becomes even more important as we get older. Around our late 30s, our bodies naturally start losing muscle if we’re not actively training to maintain it. That loss speeds up during perimenopause and menopause, which can make us feel weaker, softer, and more tired, even if our weight doesn’t change. Traditional dieting, especially super low-calorie plans, can actually make this worse by encouraging muscle loss along with fat.
The good news? It doesn’t have to be that way. When we focus on body recomposition — by eating enough protein, strength training, and moving in ways we enjoy — we support our muscle, metabolism, and energy levels. It’s not about beating our bodies into submission, about supporting them so we can feel capable, steady, and energized whether we’re carrying groceries, hiking on vacation, or getting up off the floor with grandkids.
The only way this truly works is with a little mindset shift: You're not shrinking. You are building strength, confidence, endurance, and a body that you are confident in. And yes, your body might look more “toned” or “defined,” but more importantly, it will function better. You’ll feel better.
Here's why this simple mindset shift leads to longer lasting, more sustainable results:
Progressive Overload - This is the central tenet of strength training. Many of you hear me preach this on the daily. Doing more over time ensures that you’re placing increased mechanical tension on your muscles, causing them to grow. Bump up those dumbbells to something challenging!
Recomping - Even if the scale isn’t budging, you’re still making gains if you're following the above. The muscle you build will give you more shape, and the fat you lose sheds from your “problem areas,” causing you to look leaner and more athletic. What isn't reflected on the scale can be tracked with regular body scans.
Exercise Becomes Fun! - Exercising is more fun when you’re strong. When you get your first chin up or finally bust out ten push ups, it’s exciting. You’re more likely to stick with strength training and keep making physique improvements if you love your training. Choose a performance based goal (a back squat or deadlift weight, learn double unders, get your first box jump, etc.) and make it your mission to achieve it! It's very likely you'll get a heck of a lot stronger along the way, and the physique changes will follow.
So, if you're feeling frustrated that your workouts aren’t moving the needle on the scale, take a deep breath. You might be making more progress than you think — just not the kind that shows up as a number. And maybe that’s the whole point — getting your body to a point that feels good and performs well.