Ways tell whether you’re losing fat

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 healthful goal than weight loss.

However, 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 provides tips for losing fat and maintaining muscle.

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Ways tell whether you’re losing fat

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 practice to ensure accuracy 

SUMMARY

Instead 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.

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Focus on fat loss, not weight loss

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 muscle losses 

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, several studies have linked a higher fat-to-muscle ratio to chronic diseases like metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and diabetes 

Maintaining your muscle mass may also reduce your risk of age-related muscle loss, which results in frailty and potentially disability

Additionally, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest. This is the main reason why men generally have higher calorie needs than women 

Consequently, losing weight in the form of muscle can decrease the number of calories you burn at rest, making it easier to regain any weight you lost in the form of fat

SUMMARY

Emphasizing 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.

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How to lose fat and maintain or gain muscle

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 study, young men were randomized to consume a low calorie diet containing either 0.55 or 1.1 grams of protein per pound (1.2 or 2.4 grams per kg) of body weight combined with an intense exercise training program

While both groups lost a significant amount of weight, the men who consumed the higher protein diet lost 2.9 pounds (1.3 kg) more fat mass and gained 2.4 pounds (1.1 kg) more muscle than 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, it 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 review of 20 studies involving men and women ages 50 years and older found that a high protein diet containing at least 0.68 grams per pound (1 gram per kg) led to more muscle mass retention and fat loss than a lower protein diet 

While protein needs differ depending on your age, health, sex, and physical activity level, consuming protein in the range of 0.45–0.73 grams per pound (1–1.6 grams per kg) of body weight per day can support muscle mass retention and fat loss with dieting 

For reference, the recommended dietary allowance for protein is 0.36 grams per pound (0.8 grams per kg) of body weight per day.

Exercise

Exercise is the most effective way to encourage fat loss rather than muscle loss.

A review of 6 studies found that older adults with obesity who engaged in cardio and weight training at least 3 times per week while following a calorie-restricted diet retained 93% more of their muscle than those who did not exercise 

Certainly, exercise alone is an effective strategy to maintain muscle mass with dieting, but combining exercise with a higher protein intake may help optimize your results 

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend adults get at least 150–300 minutes per week of cardio and muscle-strengthening activities that involve all major muscle groups 

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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 both.

However, cutting your calories too much can lead to a greater loss of muscle rather than fat.

Instead, aim to moderately reduce the number of calories you consume by 500–600 per day to minimize muscle loss while still facilitating fat loss 

You can reduce the number of calories you consume by eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein foods, low fat dairy, and fewer sugar-sweetened products and beverages, processed meats, and fried foods 

SUMMARY

You can prioritize fat loss and maximize muscle retention by eating plenty of protein and exercising regularly alongside a reduced calorie diet.

The bottom line

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 access 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

How to Lose Fat Without Losing Muscle

If you’ve been working hard to get in shape yet still want to lose fat, you may have concerns that you’ll lose muscle as well. To prevent this, you can follow a few eating and fitness guidelines that will help you achieve the results you want.

You must go about losing weight safely and effectively to optimize fat loss and muscle maintenance. This is especially important if you want to maintain your fitness level, physical activity, and overall function.

With the right approach, it’s possible to lose fat while maintaining muscle mass. This article outlines how you can use an exercise and eating plan to effectively shed fat without losing muscle.

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What it takes to lose fat 

To lose fat, you need to consume fewer calories than you burn each day and exercise regularly. Frequent physical activity helps get rid of fat. If you lose weight without exercise, you’re more likely to lose both muscle and fat.

While it’s not possible to lose fat on particular areas of your body, you can work on lowering your overall body fat percentage.

Go slowly. Losing weight quickly may contribute to muscle loss. It’s best to lose a small amount of weight each week over a longer period.

How to maintain muscle 

To keep the muscle you have while losing fat, you’ll need to strike a balance between limiting yourself and pushing yourself as much as you can.

Each person will have different results. Listen to your body, and adjust your workout and eating plan accordingly.

Schedule recovery time

Give yourself enough time to recover between workouts. This is especially important if you’re eating fewer calories and doing intense workouts. Get plenty of sleep, which helps restore your energy levels.

Don’t restrict

Avoid any type of eating plan that’s too drastic or restrictive. It will be harder to keep up with long term.

Avoid overtraining, and stay away from any workout plan that has the potential to drain you or cause injury. Pushing yourself too hard or fast may result in missing workouts due to fatigue or injury. Remember, rest days are important.

Exercise

Exercise is another important aspect of maintaining muscle mass. Research from 2018Trusted Source examined the effect of calorie restriction combined with resistance, endurance, or both types of training in older adults with obesity.

The researchers found that when individuals followed an eating plan and did some type of exercise, they were able to prevent muscle loss due to calorie restriction.

Most of the eating plans consisted of 55 percent carbohydrates, 15 percent protein, and 30 percent fat.

More research is needed to determine which type of exercise is most effective in preventing muscle loss.

Eat healthy

Change up your eating plan to include healthy proteins and fewer unhealthy fat sources.

In a 2016 reviewTrusted Source of 20 studies, researchers found older adults retained more lean mass and lost more fat when consuming higher protein diets.

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Try a supplement

Consider taking a supplement, such as chromium picolinate, which is said to have a positive effect on weight loss, hunger, and blood sugar levels.

Research from 2018Trusted Source points to the importance of reducing body weight without losing lean body mass.

Along with taking chromium picolinate, you can do this by:

• eating the right amounts of macronutrients, such as proteins, fats, and carbohydrates
• managing calorie intake
• doing resistance exercise

Before taking any supplement, it’s a good idea to check in with your doctor. Some supplements may negatively interact with certain medications or conditions.

Exercise plans 

Follow a few of these tips to help you exercise smarter to hit your goals.

Do cardio

To lose fat and gain or maintain muscle mass, do moderate- to high-intensity cardio for at least 150 minutes per week. Example of cardio exercises include:

• cycling
• running
• boxing
• soccer
• basketball
• volleyball

Increase intensity

Increase the intensity of your workouts to challenge yourself and burn calories. For your workout to effectively build strength, you must push your muscles to their maximum capacity. This may involve taking a break before proceeding.

Continue to strength train

Do strength training two to three times per week. This may be a combination of:

• weightlifting
• bodyweight exercises
• resistance band exercises

Exercise classes, such as yoga, Pilates, or tai chi, are also options.

Always start with low weight loads and fewer repetitions. Gradually work your way up to heavier weights or more repetitions. This will help avoid injury.

Strength training helps prevent muscle loss while increasing muscle mass. Make sure your routine is balanced and targets all the main muscle groups.

Give your muscle groups time to recover. You can aim to target each muscle group a maximum of twice per week. To cut fat, you can also incorporate interval training into your workout plan.

Take a rest

Allow for adequate rest and recovery on alternate days. Either take an entire day off, or opt for light-intensity exercise, such as walking, swimming, or dancing.

Healthy eating

To optimize fat loss while maintaining muscle mass, follow a healthy diet that meets your nutritional and energetic needs.

Eating healthy foods may also help you feel full, so you’ll be less likely to overeat.

Before your workout, make sure you’re well hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids. Replace sugary beverages with drinks such as green tea, coconut water, and fresh vegetable juice. You can also have a light, easy-to-digest meal that’s rich in carbohydrates.

Within 45 minutes of finishing a workout, eat a meal containing protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

Boost your energy levels with carbohydrates after a workout. This helps in the recovery process, and may even help speed up that process. Carbohydrates help replace glycogen stores that were used for energy during exercise.

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