Weight loss refers to a decrease in your overall body weight from muscle, water, and fat losses. Fat loss refers to weight loss from fat, and it’s a more specific and healthy goal than general weight loss.
It can be difficult to know whether you’re losing weight from fat or muscle.
This article explains why fat loss is more important than weight loss, how you can tell the difference between the two, and tips for losing fat and maintaining muscle.
It’s common practice to track your weight loss progress using a scale. While this can be helpful, most scales don’t differentiate between fat loss and muscle loss.
For that reason, tracking only your weight isn’t a reliable way to determine whether you’re losing fat or muscle and in what amounts.
Conversely, a body fat scale can provide a more accurate picture of your body composition by measuring the percentage of fat and muscle you have.
You can also use skinfold calipers to estimate your body fat percentage, but this takes
SummaryInstead of solely relying on the scale, you can use a body fat scale or skinfold caliper to better understand your body composition and track your progress.
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 may include water and
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 and cholesterol — in the blood, and controlling inflammation.
Indeed,
Maintaining muscle mass may also reduce the risk of age-related muscle loss, which
Further, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest. This is the
Consequently, losing weight in the form of muscle can
SummaryEmphasizing fat loss rather than weight loss can decrease the risk of several chronic diseases, help reduce the risk of age-related muscle loss, and reduce fat regain.
There are a few simple ways to ensure you’ll lose weight in the form of fat and either maintain or gain muscle mass.
These include eating plenty of protein, exercising regularly, and following a nutrient-dense diet that puts you in a slight calorie deficit.
Eat plenty of protein
Protein is an important nutrient for a variety of bodily functions.
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.
In one 4-week
While both groups lost significant weight, the men who consumed the higher protein diet lost 2.9 lb (1.3 kg) more fat mass and gained 2.4 lb (1.1 kg) more muscle than the men who consumed the lower protein diet.
Importantly, the study found that high intensity resistance exercise followed by a high protein recovery snack made the most difference. Also, the study limited the men’s fat intake to create a calorie deficit and maintained their carb intake for adequate exercise fuel.
And while eating plenty of protein with a reduced-calorie diet without weight training may not help you gain muscle, it may help you maintain muscle while increasing fat loss.
A
While protein needs differ depending on your age, health, sex, and physical activity level, consuming around
For reference, the recommended dietary allowance for protein is 0.36 grams per pound (0.8 grams per kilogram) of body weight per day.
Exercise
Exercise is the most effective way to encourage fat loss rather than muscle loss.
A
Certainly, exercise alone is an effective strategy to maintain muscle mass with dieting, but combining exercise with a higher protein intake may help
The
Follow a reduced-calorie diet
To lose weight, you must create a calorie deficit. You can create a calorie deficit by eating fewer calories or exercising, but preferably doing both.
However, cutting your calories too much can lead to a greater loss of muscle rather than fat.
Instead,
You can
SummaryYou can prioritize fat loss and maximize muscle retention by eating plenty of protein and exercising regularly alongside following a reduced-calorie diet.
Weight loss refers to a decrease in your overall body weight, whereas fat loss refers to weight loss that occurs specifically from losses in fat mass.
A body fat scale or skinfold caliper is more useful for monitoring fat loss than tracking your body weight alone.
Other simple ways to assess fat loss include measuring inches or centimeters lost from your waist and hips and noting any changes in how your clothes fit around your waist.
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.
You can prioritize fat loss by eating plenty of protein, exercising, and moderately restricting your calories.