How to Tell if Your Diet Is Burning Fat or Muscle

When you start a new diet, the scale usually moves fast. But here’s the real question: are you actually losing fat, or are you losing muscle? The answer makes all the difference between lasting results and a frustrating rebound.

At Kalos, we use DEXA Scan technology to help clients uncover exactly what kind of weight they’re losing. Because while diets promise fat loss, many people are unknowingly sacrificing lean mass along the way.

Why the Scale Alone Doesn’t Work

• Weight loss ≠ fat loss,  The scale measures everything: fat, muscle, water, and glycogen.
• Early losses are often water and glycogen,  Not actual fat.
• Muscle loss can masquerade as progress,  You may drop weight quickly but weaken your metabolism.

The Dangers of Losing Muscle Instead of Fat

1. Slower Metabolism

Muscle burns calories even at rest. Losing it lowers your basal metabolic rate (BMR).

2. “Skinny Fat” Look

Without muscle, you may appear smaller but softer, with poor body composition.

3. Higher Risk of Rebound

Less muscle means fewer calories burned daily, making it easier to regain fat once normal eating resumes.

4. Performance Decline

Energy, strength, and endurance all suffer when lean mass drops.

How to Tell if You’re Losing Muscle

Warning Signs:

• Rapid weight loss (>2 lbs per week consistently)
• Feeling weaker in workouts
• Persistent fatigue or low energy
• Plateaued fat loss despite continued dieting

But the only accurate way to know is through body composition tracking.

How DEXA Scans Reveal the Truth

A DEXA Scan shows:

• Fat mass vs. lean mass changes,  so you know what you’re actually losing
• Visceral fat levels,  to check if dangerous hidden fat is decreasing
• Regional muscle balance,  ensuring you’re not losing strength in key areas
• Bone density,  important for overall health, especially on restrictive diets

By scanning monthly or every other month, you can confirm that your diet is targeting fat, not muscle.

How to Protect Muscle While Burning Fat

1. Prioritize Protein

Eat 1.6–2.2g protein per kg body weight daily to fuel muscle retention.

2. Strength Train Consistently

Resistance training sends the signal to preserve lean mass, even in a deficit.

3. Avoid Crash Diets

Large calorie cuts strip away muscle quickly. Stick to a 300–500 calorie deficit.

4. Sleep and Recover

Poor recovery elevates cortisol, which accelerates muscle breakdown and visceral fat gain.

Real-World Example

One client at Kalos lost 12 pounds in six weeks on a strict diet, but a DEXA scan revealed 7 pounds of that was lean muscle. After adjusting their plan with higher protein, more resistance training, and sustainable calorie control, their next scan showed fat loss only, with lean mass preserved.

Smarter Dieting Starts With Better Tracking

If your diet is costing you muscle, it’s not working, it’s setting you up for future failure. With DEXA Scan, you can stop guessing, track exactly what you’re losing, and ensure your diet is burning fat, not muscle.

Book Your DEXA Scan with Kalos Today in Downtown San Francisco or Palo Alto!

If you’re ready to take control of your health with the most accurate body composition analysis available, it’s time to book your DEXA scan at Kalos. Whether you’re looking to get lean, build muscle, improve performance, or optimize longevity, our advanced technology and expert guidance will help you get there.

Schedule your scan today at Kalos, your journey to data-driven fitness starts now.

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