Clearly it is not unlikely that a person new to working out’s number one goal is to lose weight. From this, you must ask is there a reason to lose a certain weight, is there a certain weight you are trying to reach, or is the ultimate goal to look better and feel better? Inches versus pounds is an issue of discussion for people who beginning a new workout program and want to lose a few pounds. Some people are quick to be discouraged because they simply focus on what they see on a scale instead of what their body looks like or how their body feels.  Muscle weighs more than fat; whenever someone begins an exercise program, or even weeks into an exercise program, they may not lose weight and in some cases may actually gain weight. It is important to notice that they are losing unnecessary body fat and gaining muscle. Muscle is denser than fat and muscle’s greater density means it takes up less room than fat, but it actually weighs more. Don’t let a number on a scale discourage you from continuing healthy habits such as exercise and healthy eating, because even though the weight may stay the same or actually increase, you are becoming much healthier while looking better. Losing weight comes down to the bottom line that you have to expend more calories than you intake; someone with more muscle mass actually burns more calories doing the same exercise than someone with more body fat. Next time you are beginning a program with the goal of losing weight, determine if the actual goal is to look and feel better, and be more driven by focusing on body fat percentage and inches lost rather than the amount of weight lost.
Acquired from http://exercise.answers.com/weight-loss/effective-weight-loss-losing-inches-versus-losing-pounds
-Cameron Pound