Weight loss vs fat loss: What is a healthier option?

It is common to get confused between the terms weight loss and fat loss. For many, these two terms are the same thing as they primarily help to get thin and fit into the old jeans, which is correct to some extent. But if you go into technicality then there is a huge divergence between the two.

Weight loss refers to an overall drop in kilos, which includes muscle, fat and water. Fat loss on the other hand is referred to as the burning of fat from the body to reach your desired goal. Both help you drop kilos and fit in your old clothes, but if we compare from the perspective of health then fat loss is far better than weight loss in the long run.

There are different ways to track your progress when you are trying to drop some kilos and the most common of all is a weight machine. It is the easiest way to keep a tab of the weight you have lost in a period. However, the weighting scale cannot tell if you are losing weight or fat. For that, you need to opt for other methods to measure the weight like the body fat scale or bioelectrical impedance scales or calipers. These can give you the accurate amount of fat you have lost from the body.

Our bodies are made up of different components like fat, lean body weight, or fat-free mass, which includes muscle, bone, water, organs and others. All these things should be present in the body in an equal proportion. When the percentage of fat in the body increases, you become prone to develop diseases like obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Body fat percentage varies based on sex, activity level and age. Maintaining a healthy body fat percentage can make your look more toned and reduce the risk of several chronic diseases.

Losing fat is a more effective way to drop kilos in the long term and is beneficial for our overall health. As compared to weight loss, fat loss is more time taking but is worth that time because you won't gain the dropped kilos back in a few weeks, which is common in the case of weight loss. All the crash diets and tricks that promise quick results only help you lose weight, not fat. Here are effective to lose more fat:

Eat more protein: Every cell in our body is made of protein. It is the building block of life. Adding more protein to your diet can help to gain muscle mass and shed fat.

Perform strength training exercises: Strength training exercises can help to burn fat long after your training session is over. It also helps you build lean mass that makes you look toned.

Do not fall for the fad diet: Do not fall for the fad that forces you to cut too many calories from your diet. This can make you weak and lose all the muscle mass. Eat a well-balanced diet.