Fat Loss vs. Weight Loss
When you think of the word diet what comes to mind? Often dieting is synonymous with deprivation. Eating minimally, feeling hungry, and initially a decreased number on the scale. After awhile, we fall off the wagon and go right back to square one, gaining more weight than we lost when we started. What if we told you you’ve been doing it all wrong? That you can lose fat WITHOUT eating LESS!
To ensure success, diets need to be sustainable. How many times have you done the latest fad diet, lost weight, and then gone right back to your old habits? There’s nothing fun about eating weight loss bars, salads, and then facing a whole plate of cookies later because your body is desperately craving energy! After endless years of yo-yo dieting - how did you feel? We understand those feelings of shame, exhaustion, and low self-esteem.
The dieting industry sets us up for failure, because that’s how they make more money. There’s always a new diet to try, and often we put the weight back on, only to be on the prowl for the next best thing. This yo-yo diet cycle isn’t healthy mentally or physically.
If you have weight loss goals - it’s important to understand the difference between starving your body and changing it! Our metabolism needs fuel to keep the fire alive. Otherwise, we lose weight, but not fat! If you’ve participated in our Rock Your Jeans program you know that we have our participants eat ALL THE TIME! These members lose fat and inches off their waists, all while ACTUALLY eating! Sound counter-intuitive? Let’s break it down a little more.
Weight Loss Vs. Fat Loss
Weight loss is NOT fat loss. Weight loss usually consists of a crash diet, in the hope to lose as much weight as possible in the shortest amount of time. Reduction in calories produces a lower number on the scale leading to the belief that weight loss has occurred!
In reality a low calorie diet causes:
o Your body to expel more water. Glycogen holds on to H20 and when glycogen is burned for energy H20 is then released from the body.
o Lean muscle mass will be lost.
o Lastly, fat loss has occurred but on a scale much smaller to that of your lean muscle loss.
It is easier to burn lean muscle for energy than body fat, and because your body is lazy and has depleted energy (from lack of fuel/food) to complete this task it chooses the easier option; i.e. your lean muscle.
This is why the weight loss on very low calorie diets can be deceiving. As you fuel your body with the proper foods to increase fat burning, you are truly feeding your lean muscle in order for the muscle to turn around and burn the fat.
Muscle is denser than fat. It takes up less space – you appear smaller even if the scale hasn’t moved very much. The more muscle you are able to create the more fat you are able to burn. Up to 30% more calories are burned to maintain your lean muscle.
We understand how confusing nutrition and fat loss can be. After years of marketing aimed at weight loss, it’s hard to unlearn what has kept you in the shame cycle- spending tireless amounts of money, energy and tears on failed diets! When you’re ready for a change we’re here to help. Email us at info@successstudiopt.com to get started.
What has been your experience with diets? You’re likely not alone! Share in the comments below.
Want to learn how to lose weight and keep it off? Our Rock Your Jeans Challenge begins March 1st! Click the link below to Learn More.