[sk8erchick]

I am wondering if your excess body fat counts towards the total weight you are lifting. As a example, if an individual has 100 lbs of excess body weight and does squats without added weight, is that the same as an individual of ideal weight squatting a 100 lb weight?

[IanG]

I would say a big yep.

As I lost weight I was doing some incredible lifts but they diminished as I lost muscle as well as fat.

My back strength was phenomenal.

Now I am building back up but trying to avoid the fat.

If you want to keep the muscle, eat protein and weight train.

It's very easy to lose both muscle and fat with weight loss. Some would say unavoidable.

Interestingly, I can only now squat the difference between my start weight and my current weight plus the weight of the bar (281-171+15lbs)!

[Needtolose2]

I'm sure that body fat counts towards total body weight. That's the whole idea behind the "Total Gym" machine (you know, the one in the infomercial with Chuck Norris). You use your body weight to do different exercises for a complete workout.

I personally had a chance to use the Total Gym in physical therapy when I had hip replacement surgery. It worked wonders for me.

[Sage2]

Yes, it does. And body weight exercises count as strength training no matter what we weigh. However, as a person loses weight, they do burn less calories doing any kind of exercise, including walking.