Tidbit Tuesday - Fat Loss VS Weight Loss

Hello,

Welcome to another Tidbit Tuesday where we aim to teach you something new about health, nutrition, lifestyle, training, and so much more, every week!

Today we are talking about Fat Loss VS Weight Loss.

While they sound like they are more or less the same thing. They do have a big difference.

While weight loss is a more general term and refers to overall weight loss, including muscle mass, bone density, water intake and fat mass.

Fat loss is simply measuring the loss of fat mass. Nothing else.

This is the better health indicator than simply your weight on the scale. Which tracks weight loss.

When the goal is to lose weight. Your intention should be to maintain, or maybe even gain, muscle mass in the process of shedding those pounds.

The biggest difference?

Losing muscle mass for the purpose of overall weight loss leads to a slower metabolism.

Causing the, oh so common, rebound effect where most people gain the weight back, and sometimes more, within 5 years or less.

However, if you prioritize some strength training, of any kind, you will maintain muscle mass and improve your metabolism over time.

Many weight loss programs claim to help you lose weight quickly and easily.

However, it’s important to realize that a significant amount of this weight will include water and muscle mass loss.

Remember, losing muscle can be detrimental, as muscle is a crucial component of your overall health.

Maintaining a healthy percentage of muscle has several benefits, such as regulating healthy blood sugar levels, maintaining healthy fat levels — like triglycerides (fat) and cholesterol — in the blood, as well as controlling inflammation.

We tend to lose muscle mass as we age anyways. It is a natural process.

But with this natural loss of muscle mass, we are placed at a greater risk of injury, heart disease, and diabetes.

Prioritizing strength training can help to prevent this as well as decreasing the risk of several chronic diseases.

Here are 3 tips to target Fat Loss instead of Weight Loss:

1) Eat more PROTEIN!

It’s necessary to make enzymes that help with digestion and energy production, regulate fluid balance, and support immune health, among other functions.

Protein is also important for maintaining the muscle you have and supporting new muscle growth, especially when losing weight.

For reference, the recommended dietary allowance for protein is 0.36 grams per pound (0.8 grams per kg) of body weight per day.

2) STRENGTH TRAINING!

Exercise is the most effective way to encourage fat loss rather than muscle loss.

By prioritizing strength training and following a strategic plan you can maximize both your muscle gain and fat loss within a training block.

Performing only cardio, or excessive cardio, may actually make your journey tougher and slow your progress by keeping your cortisol levels high.

3) CALORIE DEFICIT!

You can prioritize fat loss and maximize muscle retention by eating plenty of protein and exercising regularly alongside a reduced calorie diet.

Being in a Calorie deficit all the time is impossible. Plan your weeks so that you are in a Calorie deficit 4 to 6 days per week. With only a slight Calorie surplus on the off days.

An easy way to fit this into your routine is intermittent fasting.

By shortening your eating window to 12 to 8 hours you will consume less Calories.

Another plan is to eat consistently throughout the week and fast for 24 hours once per week.

Being in a weekly Calorie deficit while also prioritizing Protein will help you to maintain your lean mass while losing fat mass.

Losing weight in the form of fat rather than muscle should be the priority given how important your fat-to-muscle ratio is to your overall health.

Happy losing!

Your friend in health & Fitness,

Coach Sean