I went to a weight loss clinic in Sacramento recently and part of their initial visit was to have me stand on what looked like a fancy, high-tech scale with bicycle handles. It wasn't bike handles. The handles actually had metal on them, as well as metal where I placed my feet, to run a small current and discover what my body composition was. It's not the most accurate thing, but I didn't have to strip down or get under water.
So it said my lean body mass was 160 lbs. I figure it's pretty close. I'm almost 5'11" and I definitely have big bones. I've been working out with weights and doing Pilates for the past two years and I know that under all my fluffy layers there's muscle because I can feel it in there.
So let's just say it's totally accurate. Does that mean for an athletic woman's build, body fat around 25%, I should weigh 200 lbs? That's like 10-35 lbs more than what those weight charts tell me I should weigh.
I know that as I lose weight, if I don't keep exercising, I'll lose some of my lean mass. I'm going to keep working out because I don't really want to. I like the idea of being a strong-looking woman.