InsuranceTom said:There is also a quality change that the scan cannot see.
Filing a mild objection. Mild because I might be wrong; an objection because nobody has addressed the case that does not fit. I think this board over-worries about lean mass. Some lean loss is obligatory — you need less muscle to move a smaller body, and preserving mass you no longer need is not a health outcome. The question is whether strength and function held, and mine did.
hans_munich said:I lifted three times a week throughout and still lost lean mass.
Sharing my comprehensive lab data relevant to lean mass:
| Biomarker | Baseline | Month 3 | Month 6 | Month 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (lbs) | 252 | 237 | 222 | 212 |
| A1C (%) | 7.7 | 6.2 | 5.7 | 5.4 |
| hsCRP (mg/L) | 7.0 | 3.0 | 1.5 | 0.8 |
| Triglycerides | 222 | 182 | 112 | 102 |
Protocol: Semaglutide 1.7mg/wk, resistance training 3x/week, protein 1.2g/kg/day.
The improvements in lean mass are clearly reflected in these numbers. The inflammatory marker reduction (hsCRP) is particularly striking.
Dr.RenalNash said:I think this board over-worries about lean mass.
Back pain as a lean mass side effect: not from the medication itself, but from rapid body composition changes. Losing 61 lbs shifts your center of gravity and your core muscles need time to adjust.
Physical therapy has been essential. Core strengthening exercises (planks, dead bugs, bird dogs) daily for 10 minutes have eliminated my lower back pain. Your body is literally relearning how to carry itself.
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Shop Reference StandardsA narrower follow-up, since the general answer is now clear:
Whether resistance training and protein change the ratio or only the absolute amount?
Closing the loop on my own question.
Second scan under matched conditions came back with the lean number nearly a kilogram higher than the first, so a chunk of what I panicked about was hydration. Strength numbers were up throughout.