Weight Loss vs Fat Loss - Are you sure you're losing fat?
Two people can be the same body weight, the same height and age. But they can look completely different based on their fat level and muscle mass.
Do you want to lose weight? If you answered yes, you are wrong. Well, not wrong actually, but what you’re really wanting to do is fat loss.
Anybody can lose weight. You just don’t eat. You will lose weight. Unfortunately, the weight you lose will be both muscle and fat.
The goal of successful weight loss is to preserve as much muscle as possible, or possibly even gain some, while at the same time loose as much body fat as possible.
Weight Loss vs Fat Loss
In layman's terms, fat loss means reducing your body fat percentage – the amount of fat you carry. Weight loss means reducing your overall body weight. This includes everything – fat mass, muscle mass, bones, organs, water weight, bowel content, etc.
Two people can be the same body weight, the same height and age. But they can look completely different based on their fat level and muscle mass.
Why does this matter? Because the average person who wants to lose weight does it to look better. Lowering your body weight can be done by just dieting alone, without doing exercise. But a low body weight with little to no muscle mass is not going to make you look better. That is just going to make you look skinny.
So, it’s not how much you weigh that matters. It’s how much muscle mass and fat you carry. That’s why it’s better to focus on fat loss.
Now you know what is better for you, weight loss or fat loss. But how do you do that?
Here are some tips to lose weight and fat as well,
1. Stop Eating Junk Food
Stop buying it. Don’t have it at home. Make it so you have to get out of your home to eat junk food. If you feel like it, you’ll probably be too lazy to get out of the home and buy it late at night.
You don’t have to stop eating your favorite foods, by the way. I eat burgers and pizza once in a while. What you can do is to make your own version at home. Make your own burgers – without all the greasy cheese and sauces. You get the same taste but without all the calories.
2. Start Drinking Green Tea
If you look at the ingredients list for any fat-burning supplement, chances are, green tea will be on there. This is because, according to research, green tea can increase fat burning and boost metabolic rate. In one study involving 10 healthy men, taking green tea extract increased the number of calories burned by 4%.
3. Choose Your Diet Carefully
The best diet is the one you stick to. Whatever diet you choose, if you can’t stick to it long-term, then the risk of regaining the fat you lost is high. Any diet will make you lose fat if it creates a caloric deficit. That part is easy. The hard part is how to keep the fat off in the long run. Many people regain the fat they lost because they chose a diet they can’t stick to long-term.
4. Workout is the Key
A low body fat percentage is useless if you don’t have the muscle to show for it. You probably want to lose fat to achieve a more attractive body. Less fat is more attractive than lots of fat. But a low body fat percentage without muscle is skinny. A skinny guy is less attractive than a muscular guy. Therefore, you want to build muscle by lifting heavy weights.
Most people who want to lose fat do cardio. They hit the treadmill. But that’s boring (hence why gyms are full of TVs and magazines). Cardio also doesn’t build muscle; it just burns fat. Most people hate cardio, and it’s hard to stick to something you hate. If you want to burn extra calories and hate cardio, try to walk more. Use your car less. Use Apple Health and aim for 10,000 steps a day.
So, the fight between weight loss and fat loss is no more, we guess! But still, if you have any questions, you can ask us anytime.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q1. Can you lose fat and not lose weight?
A1. In some cases, it is possible, but generally, it is not. For both weight and fat loss, you have to do strict dieting with 30-45 minutes of workout.
Q2. Do you lose belly fat while dieting?
A2. Dieting does not focus on particular areas of your body. Dieting shrinks your whole body, thus making your waistline smaller than before. But dieting does dissolve the dangerous layer of abdominal fat that could cause various problems in your body.
Q3. Does sweating burn fat?
A3. No, sweating initially burns calories in your body, and it takes a whole lot of time for the body to burn fat if your diet is not balanced. That is why it is recommended to take a calorie deficit diet when you are doing an excess workout.
Q4. How does fat leave your body during weight loss?
A4. Your body dissolves fat, which comes out through various metabolic pathways. The byproducts of fat come out as:
- Water - Through your sweat or your kidney when you urinate.
- Carbon dioxide - When you breathe.
Q5. What are the 5 foods that burn belly fat?
A5. Green tea, avocados, citrus fruits, yogurt, and berries are some of the many food items that can help you burn belly fat.
Stay tuned for more such informative & interesting articles.
