Are you confused between what is weight loss and fat loss? Are you working out to lose weight, but what you really want is to lose fat? If your answer is yes, then this article is for you.
In this article, we will first understand what is our body composition and then dive into understanding weight loss and fat loss individually.
Body Composition
Before going into the details of the fat and weight debate, it is important to understand body composition and the appropriate target for a healthy body. Your body composition is a summation of fat and fat-free mass. The fat-free mass refers to water, muscles, and the bones that your body is composed of.
Instead of focusing on achieving a lower number on the weighing scale, it is advisable to focus on the bigger goal. It would be best if you focused on managing the entire body composition. This helps in striking a perfect balance in the body by reducing fat and acquiring lean muscles to get a fit and toned body.
Weight Loss
Weight loss is the most apparent way to interpret the results of workouts or diets. This is also something that a layman understands and perceives as good health. This has made weight loss the only parameter to judge your efforts and overall health. And to add to this, gyms, fitness centers, and health companies have made it their only goal to lure people to seek out weight loss services and products.
However, it has been observed that many people who have shed a considerable amount of weight are unhappy with their bodies. They do not feel energetic and get tired easily. There are significant parts of the body that almost refuse to respond to their efforts. Clearly, losing weight cannot be the only criterion to judge your health and the effectiveness of your diet and workout regime.
Fat Loss
Whenever people think of losing weight and getting a lean body, the focus should be on getting rid of excess fat deposition. This is often done by targeting the areas with fat accumulation. It is a healthy practice as the fat all extra that your body has stored over time. As you lose fat, you also build lean muscles, leaving you feeling strong and active.
This brings us to our most important question, how do I lose fat and maintain a healthy weight?
The ideal way is to lose weight gradually, with no rush. Quantitatively it would be best if you aimed at losing nearly one pound every week. A loss faster than this means it is happening from the muscles, instead of fat, leaving you to feel unhealthy and fatigued.
Conditions That Excessive Focus on Weight Loss Can Lead To
1. Water Retention
Water also contributes to your weight until it exits your system. Water retained by food items can potentially add to your weight.
2. Dramatic Calorie Deficit
Often in the quest of losing weight, people face a dramatic deficit of calories. This results in a weak and unhealthy body.
3. Muscle Loss
When trapped in a calorie deficit, people tend to lose muscle tissues which can be an invitation to several health problems.
Hence, it is very important to focus on maintaining a healthy weight, along with a fit and active body. You can achieve this with the right workout, a healthy diet, and an active lifestyle.