How to Improve Body Composition, Based on Science

Written by Grant Tinsley, PhD on October 1, 2017

Many people dread stepping onto the bathroom scale.

It can be very frustrating to exercise and eat a healthy diet only to see the number on the scale stay the same.

However, just because your body weight isn’t changing doesn’t mean that your hard work isn’t paying off. Especially if you are exercising, your body composition may be improving.

This article will explain what your body composition is and how to improve it, based on science.

more at  https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/improve-body-composition 

Lift heavy things

Lift heavy things

Lifting weights is one of the best things you can do to strengthen your muscles and improve your body composition.

It also leads to massive improvements in metabolic health, including improved insulin sensitivity (84, 85).

The best approach is to lift weights, but doing bodyweight exercises can be just as effective.

more at:  https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/27-health-and-nutrition-tips#section20 

Don’t fear saturated fat

Don’t fear saturated fat

Saturated fat has been controversial.

While it’s true that saturated fat raises cholesterol levels, it also raises HDL (good) cholesterol and shrinks your LDL (bad) particles, which is linked to a lower risk of heart disease (78Trusted Source, 79Trusted Source, 80Trusted Source, 81Trusted Source).

New studies in hundreds of thousands of people have questioned the association between saturated fat intake and heart disease (82Trusted Source, 83Trusted Source)

read https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/27-health-and-nutrition-tips#section19

Don’t eat a lot of refined carbs

Don’t eat a lot of refined carbs

Not all carbs are created equal.

Refined carbs have been highly processed to remove their fiber. They’re relatively low in nutrients and can harm your health when eaten in excess.

Studies show that refined carbs are linked to overeating and numerous metabolic diseases (73Trusted Source, 74, 75Trusted Source, 76Trusted Source, 77)

read at   https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/27-health-and-nutrition-tips#section18 

Minimize your sugar intake

Minimize your sugar intake

Added sugar is one of the worst ingredients in the modern diet, as large amounts can harm your metabolic health (67Trusted Source).

High sugar intake is linked to numerous ailments, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and many forms of cancer (68Trusted Source, 69Trusted Source, 70Trusted Source, 71Trusted Source, 72Trusted Source).

more at  https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/27-health-and-nutrition-tips#section17 

Use extra virgin olive oil

Use extra virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil is one of the healthiest vegetable oils.

It’s loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and powerful antioxidants that can fight inflammation (62, 63Trusted Source, 64Trusted Source).

Extra virgin olive oil benefits heart health, as people who consume it have a much lower risk of dying from heart attacks and strokes (65Trusted Source, 66).

read at https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/27-health-and-nutrition-tips#section16