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Weight Loss vs. Fat Loss | Important Differences

    Weight Loss vs. Fat Loss

    Same weight different body fat

    Many people believe that weight loss is the same with fat loss. Well, to your surprise, they are not the same, significant differences being between the two.

    If you lost weight, it doesn’t mean that you are fitter. It just means you have fewer pounds, the muscles still being the way they used to be before you lost weight. So if your priority is to have a fitter body, with nicely shaped muscles, you will have to focus on losing fat, more than losing weight.

    Still confused? Let’s take a look at the following details to know difference between losing weight and losing fat.

    What Weight Loss Can Be

    To understand the difference between weight loss and fat loss, you need to know what is happening in your body. Before being too happy about losing weight, you should be aware that the lost pounds consisted of fat, water and muscle mass. So a bit of everything went down the drain to make you slimmer.

    So cutting down food and not exercising enough, because you think this is the way to get in shape, is only making you weaker. Your fitness and strength will have to suffer because your muscles lost a part of their mass, so you can’t expect for your physical performances to improve.

    Also, you may feel tired, and your immune system can be weaker, allowing you to get cold or suffer from various other health issues. Not to mention that irresponsible weight losing will lead to premature aging of your organism.

    So try not to opt for crash diets that promise to get you slim in no time. Most certainly they will damage your health.

    And What Fat Loss Is

    On the other hand, fat loss is destined to the reduction of fat tissue storages only, which is achieved through a healthy diet and proper exercising. It won’t happen overnight, but it will get you in a much better shape than a weight losing strategy.

    To lose fat you will need to work out, which means a much-improved fitness, strength, stamina and physical performance, which is quite the opposite of weight loss.

    Also, eating the right things and exercising will strengthen your immune system and keep you protected against illnesses. Plus it will delay the aging process, not only make you become fit but also look fit.

    So if you want to look great, lose fat, not weight, by proper training and balanced fat loss diet, because these results will last and are healthier for your body.

    Watch the following video: How to tell if your body is burning fat

    Why People Fail at Losing Fat Properly

    Sticking Just to Cardio

    Well, the lack of knowledge and jumping into various diets without researching make most people do the wrong things. For instance, many think that the cardio workout will burn their fat. The truth is that it does burn fat, but is a not so significant degree.

    Still, the worst part is that after a while of doing cardio, the organism gets used to the physical routing, so it will start burning less and less fat.

    What to do?

    To get rid of fat it is best to do intervals instead, as they are more intense, and there is no way for your body to get used to them, burning fat much more efficiently.

    Recommended: Best Fat Burning At Home HIIT Workouts

     

    Cheating the Wrong Way

    Also, people tend to cheat during their fat loss process. To your surprise, there is nothing wrong in cheating, because the organism may require it at some points.

    The problem is that people interpret these cheating in a wrong manner. Instead of eating a carbs-rich meal, they consume a fats-rich one, ruining all they have worked for. So when you have lower calories than you need to have and a low leptin level, cheat with a high-carb meal, avoiding fats.

    Having Little Protein

    While trying to lose fat, most people eat as light as possible, avoiding proteins, thinking that they are bad. Well, since you are working out, you will need proteins because our organism is made to burn proteins by using a lot of calories for the process. Not to mention that proteins are necessary for building muscle mass. So do enjoy good quality proteins, in moderate portions, while dieting.

     

    Having No Muscle Building Workouts

    Also, do not neglect to train the muscles. The more muscles you have, the more calories you will burn, so train using weights, in reps, to build some decent muscle mass.

    Watch the video to learn strength training benefits.

     

    Keeping Your Mind Healthy As Well

    And don’t forget about relaxing and reducing stress. When stress levels are elevated, your fat burning and muscle building processes are slowed down. Meditation, yoga, stretching and breathing exercises will reduce the cortisol produced by your body, responsible for the appearance of stress. Keep in mind that a healthy mind lives in a healthy body, so you will need to take care of it as well.

    losing body fat but not weight

    Losing body fat but not weight

     

    Other Mistakes To Avoid Losing Weight but Not Fat

    Other mistakes made by people when dieting is not monitoring their meals, eliminating fats out of their diet, and not drinking sufficient water.

    The first issue, of not paying enough attention to what you eat and not recording it, will make you more susceptible to cheating and adding more food. So write down each meal you ate and even take pictures of it, if necessary.

    Also, cutting down all fats is not a wise move. Our body needs healthy fats for its processes, so not having them will lead to problems. Fish, olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, raw nuts and seeds, they can all provide the right type of fatty acids you need.

    You should also know that not drinking sufficient water will have a detrimental effect on your metabolism. It slows down, not functioning properly, as a defensive mechanism to losing water. So why make your body preserve water when you can drink plenty of it and loose fat as you should.

     

    To Sum Up

    So you see, your desire to look better may have led you on the wrong path. Take into account the previously mentioned aspects to make a proper strategy for losing body fat percentage and looking great.

    Again, don’t expect results overnight, because the process will need time, dedication and determination. But, once you will get there, you will be most proud of your body, the way you will look being something that will stick around.

    Last update on 2023-11-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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    James Wright

    James (36) has been working out since he was 15 years old. He has a home gym where he pumps iron, does bodyweight workouts and boxing. He likes sharing his experiences with others who want to build a better physique.

    2 thoughts on “Weight Loss vs. Fat Loss | Important Differences”

    1. Thanks for your article. To tell the truth I’ve been always going after losing weight, but I was never satisfied with the results. I have always tried the latest diets, but never exercise. I’m going to follow your tips for sure.

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