Weight loss and fat loss are not the same thing.
Although people often use the terms interchangeably, there’s a significant difference between the two.
Understanding this distinction can help you navigate the stages of weight loss, from that initial rapid drop in weight to the frustrating weight loss plateau.
Here, we’ll clear up the confusion and explore what sets weight loss apart from fat loss so that you understand what happens to your body when you embark on a weight-loss journey.
The difference between weight loss and fat loss
In a nutshell, weight loss refers to a reduction in your overall body weight through muscle, fat, and water losses, while fat loss refers to weight loss involving only your body fat.
Let’s break this down a little more. Think of your body as multi-layered, comprising fat mass and lean body mass (fat-free mass).
Fat mass refers to the total weight of fat in your body. Fat-free mass (also called lean body mass) includes all your body’s non-fatty elements, like muscles, bones, organs, and even water content.
Your body composition — that is, the percentage of fat, bone, and muscle in your body — will fluctuate as a result of several factors, such as your diet, activity levels, and age.
You can measure body fat percentage through several methods, including:
- Waist circumference measurements
- Skinfold measurements (with callipers)
- Hydrostatic weighing (underwater weighing)
- DEXA (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry)
Focus on fat loss, not weight loss
A regular strength training program can be a great way to improve your health. But when you start strength training, you may initially gain weight.
While this may be disheartening, it’s possible that you lost fat and gained muscle. Remember: muscle weighs more than fat. This doesn’t just leave you with a leaner silhouette — it’s better for your health.
From a health perspective, you should focus on losing fat mass, not lean body mass. Too much muscle loss can lead to health issues like lower metabolic rates, negative psychological effects, fatigue, and neuromuscular decline.
So, although “losing weight” may be a health goal for some people, it’s ultimately very important to maintain muscle — no matter what the scale says.
The different stages of weight loss
No weight loss journey is linear. You’ll experience your fair share of peaks, valleys, and plateaus. What’s important is that you don’t feel discouraged: each stage is an integral part of your transformation.
So what stages can you expect along your weight loss journey? Let’s take a look.
The Rapid Weight Loss Stage
You may experience a rapid drop in your overall weight over the first few weeks of your new diet and exercise regime.
This rapid weight loss primarily results from your body losing water content and depleting glycogen stored in your liver and skeletal muscles. This stage causes you to lose more lean body mass than fat mass.
While it’s exhilarating to see the scale numbers plummet, remember that this stage is temporary and shouldn’t set the expectation for the remainder of your journey.
The Slow Weight Loss Stage
As your body adjusts to your newfound lifestyle, your weight loss slows down. But that’s okay, because it’s usually around this time that you start losing more fat mass than fat-free mass.
Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) — the rate at which your body uses energy while at rest to fuel its most vital functions — adapts and slows down, leading to slower weight loss.
Fortunately, you can raise your BMR and lose more fat through the correct diet and strength training. This combination will increase your lean body mass, which aids fat loss because muscle is more metabolically active than fat. In other words, the more muscle you have, the more calories you’ll burn.
The Plateau Stage
Eventually, you might find yourself at a point where your weight refuses to budge. This plateau stage will frustrate you, but it’s a normal part of the weight loss journey.
A word of encouragement
Most weight loss programs only involve reducing calories and increasing exercise – and fail to address the root causes of weight gain and weight-loss resistance.
The good news is that you can lose fat by resolving trauma, reducing stress, avoiding toxins, addressing deficiencies, clearing stagnancies and harmonising incoherences.
If you’re feeling frustrated or need help figuring out where to start, book a Discovery Call with one of our Health Coaches for guidance and support on your weight loss journey today.
