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noun

LBM

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LBM (noun) means Lean body mass: the total weight of your body minus its fat, covering muscle, bone, organs and water. It is used in fitness and nutrition to track progress that a scale weight alone hides. Example: “He lost eight pounds of fat but his LBM stayed the same.”

noun
1
Lean body mass: the total weight of your body minus its fat, covering muscle, bone, organs and water. It is used in fitness and nutrition to track progress that a scale weight alone hides.
"He lost eight pounds of fat but his LBM stayed the same."
"Protein needs are often calculated from LBM rather than total body weight."
2
medical In medical and nursing notes, loose bowel movement.
"The chart recorded three LBMs overnight."

How to use LBM

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEverything your body weighs apart from fat.

When to use it

Common in gym, dieting and clinical contexts. Outside those settings, spell it out on first mention because the medical sense can cause confusion.

Memory tip

LBM is a weight in kilograms or pounds, whereas body fat percentage is a proportion. Adding LBM and fat mass gives your total body weight.

Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
LBM BMI body fat percentage
Common pairings
preserve LBM LBM percentage increase LBM LBM calculator
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Test yourself on “LBM” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

He lost eight pounds of fat but his _____ stayed the same.

Etymology

An initialism of lean body mass.

Origin: English

lean body mass fat-free mass lean mass

Antonyms

body fat fat mass

Related words

fat

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between LBM and muscle mass?

Muscle mass counts only skeletal muscle, while LBM also includes bone, organs, skin and body water. That is why LBM is always the larger of the two figures, typically by a wide margin.

Why does LBM matter when dieting?

Aggressive dieting strips muscle as well as fat, and losing LBM lowers the number of calories you burn at rest. Tracking LBM shows whether weight loss is coming from fat or from tissue you would rather keep.

What is the meaning of LBM?

"LBM" (noun) means lean body mass: the total weight of your body minus its fat, covering muscle, bone, organs and water. It is used in fitness and nutrition to track progress that a scale weight alone hides.

What is another word for LBM?

Other words for "LBM" include lean body mass, fat-free mass, lean mass.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial · etymology from FreeDict original editorial