Although the terms are often used interchangeably, fat loss and weight loss are not the same thing
Weight loss refers to a decrease in total body weight of muscle, bone, water and fat, while fat loss refers to weight loss strictly from fat
Here is a detailed breakdown of the difference between fat loss vs
This measurement accounts for fat-free body mass (bones, organs, muscles, water) and fat mass (essential and non-essential)
(1) Weight loss is a reduction in total body mass of all these factors, ie a reduction in weight can be influenced by a loss of bone mass, muscle mass, fat mass and/or water
Fat loss is a reduction in body fat, which contributes to weight loss
However, as there are multiple factors that influence weight, losing fat does not guarantee that the weight loss will be immediately reflected on the scale
Since the components of weight are in a constant state of flux, ie water, glycogen and gastrointestinal contents, an individual may experience fat loss without seeing a noticeable change in weight, as the other components may have increased while the fat it was decreasing
For example, you may lose weight by dehydrating or having a bowel movement, but you haven’t lost fat
You can also gain weight by drinking more water or eating a meal, but you haven’t necessarily gained fat
(2) Therefore, increasing water, salt, and carbohydrate consumption will cause weight to increase, while decreasing water, salt, and carbohydrate consumption will cause weight to decrease; however, neither scenario is necessarily representative of changes in fat mass
Not to mention, a woman’s menstrual cycle can cause weight fluctuations for a number of different reasons, none of which are necessarily a representation of changes in body fat
It is completely normal to see slight weight fluctuations from one day to the next, but it is important to understand that they are not a direct reflection of increased fat tissue
Indeed, studies have shown that short chronic periods of overeating can contribute to weight gain, however, only a small portion of weight gain is related to actual increases in body fat or changes in body composition, especially when protein intake is controlled for
Why You Should Focus On Fat Loss And Not Weight Loss
While weight loss is often used as a health goal, what most people are really looking for is fat loss or changes in body composition
Body composition describes the amount of fat mass and fat-free mass (organs, bone, water and muscle) in the body
It is important to note that there are different types of fat in the body; essential and non-essential body fat
Essential fat is the fat our bodies need to perform essential functions, protect our organs, store energy and support our hormones
Generally speaking, body composition changes and fat loss are healthier goals than just weight loss, and increasing overall muscle mass is arguably the best way to support this
Increasing muscle mass while decreasing fat mass will cause changes in body composition, reducing inches in a person’s body measurements, and in some cases, weight may even remain the same
For example, if an individual lost 25 pounds of fat but gained 25 pounds of muscle, the number on the scale would remain the same, but the body composition and body shape would look completely different
With that being said, a person’s weight will likely decrease over time as fat loss progresses; however, you are looking for trends that happen over weeks and months, not what happens overnight
It is completely natural to see various weight fluctuations from one day to the next – these are not a representation of fat gain or loss
A graphical representation of fat loss vs
Unfortunately, most scales don’t differentiate between weight loss and fat loss, and most people don’t have the necessary machinery to test body fat levels at home
Fortunately, you can use the scale in conjunction with other metrics to help spot trends to determine whether or not you’re losing body fat
Body measurements are a great way to monitor and track changes in body composition, fat loss and muscle gain
Taking the time to measure the circumference of your hips, chest/bust, waist, arms and thighs can help you monitor changes in body size, which is a great way to look at fat loss
Along with measurements, visual assessments in the form of images can help you review progress and identify changes in body shape
By taking pictures of yourself at regular increments on your journey, you can create a visual representation of body composition changes and fat loss
The less often you weigh yourself, the fewer data points you have, and therefore the less data you have to interpret whether changes in weight are changes in fat loss or simply day-to-day weight fluctuations
The more you weigh yourself, the more data points you’ll have and the easier it will be to spot trends and ignore natural weight fluctuations
Alternatively, if you are interested in more accurate body fat measurements, you can look into caliper tests, hydrostatic weighing, DEXA scanning, and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) tests
With all that said, remember that weight loss and fat loss are just two of many ways to measure progress and improve your health
If fat loss is your goal, that’s fine, but be on the lookout for any other positive changes like increased energy, increased vitality, greater confidence, reduced cravings, increased strength, better sleep, or better performance that you can be experimenting instead of remaining focused only on scale, measurements and body composition
Although the terms are used interchangeably, weight loss and fat loss are different
Weight loss refers to a reduction in total body mass, while fat loss refers to a reduction in weight specifically in fat mass, which contributes to weight loss
Generally speaking, fat loss is a healthier goal than weight loss and can be measured through body measurements and/or specific body fat tests and scans
Fat loss is best supported through a combination of diet and resistance training