Fat Loss vs.Weight Loss

Nine out of every ten people who will walk through my doors this year will be after one thing: weight loss. Whether they know it or not, the moment they have decided that weight is the most important factor, they have already set themselves up for failure.

This is not to say that weight is not important. Many people who set that goal would do well to lose a few pounds. The problem, however, is that this mindset has two inherent flaws. 1) If you think it’s just about weight, there are 101 ways to get that number down, not all of them healthy or sustainable. 2) If you take a healthy approach, you probably will weigh more than your goal because of increased muscle mass. As many of you have probably heard, muscle is more dense than fat. So a woman who weights 150lbs, composed of only 15% body fat, will look dramatically different from a woman of the same weight, who has 40% body fat. So regardless of the “ideal” weight either of these women would like to achieve, the only things that really matters is do they look, feel, and perform the way they want?

When we start to change how we think about our bodies and our weight, it becomes clear that body composition and fitness goals should be attained through fat loss and lean muscle tissue gain, not weight loss. A minimum of 25% of weight lost quickly (more than 2.5 pounds per week average) will be lost from lean muscle tissue.  If 25% or more of the weight you lose is from lean muscle tissue, you will easily regain the lost weight, and will likely gain additional weight.

What we find is that while you can lose weight rapidly through under-eating and over training (or being overly stressed), much of the lost weight is due to the breakdown of muscle tissue. As a result, you actually become less healthy, have a decreased metabolism, and set yourself up for rapid weight gain.

On the other hand, when you provide your body with the food and nutrients it needs, are well rested, and have a smart training program, you initiate fat loss and develop a healthier metabolism. This is the golden ticket to health, longevity, and looking your best. While rapid weight loss may be temporarily satisfying, it can only result in an unhealthier and unhappier you. If you want the best for your body, start thinking fat loss and you will be setting yourself up for success.