While many diets may claim to help you lose weight, the experts agree that focusing on fat loss will give you longer-lasting results. In fact, if you’ve ever said that you wanted to lose weight, you likely meant that you wanted to lose fat.
What is the difference between fat loss and weight loss?
While the two terms may seem interchangeable, fat loss and weight loss are actually quite different.
Weight loss just means the total amount of Kilograms or pounds of weight overall that your body loses. This loss can be due to water, muscle or fat.
Fat loss, on the other hand, refers just to fat.
You may be thinking, “I just want to lose weight. Does it matter where it comes from?”
YES!
If your goal is to look and feel lean, you don’t want just to lose weight. You may either overestimate how much fat you are losing if you lose a lot of water weight or lose too much muscle if you’re not rebuilding with the right diet and exercise program.
Muscle is essential for a lean physique and helps contribute to fat loss.
A fat loss diet plan
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to fat loss, though there are some fundamentals to keep in mind. This is why the CC Fitness & Wellness Nutrition Plan is tailored to each individual.
Generally, these are a few ways you can kick start a fat loss program. Always check with your doctor or nutritionist if you have questions or concerns about starting a new diet.
- Replace carbs with healthy fats. One of the places many people go wrong in trying to lose weight is because they immediately cut carbs like sugar, rice and pasta, but don’t replace them with healthy fats needed for fuel.
Let’s say that you typically start your day with oatmeal and some fruit. Instead of cutting out the carbs and switching entirely to boring egg whites and spinach, try eating a whole egg with fresh sliced avocado. You may find that eating a small amount of fruit, like a handful of berries, is a nice addition and won’t spike your blood sugar too much.
- Intermittent Fasting. While starting your breakfast on the lower-carb side may be the first place you start. You can also try extending the time that you have your first meal. This is referred to as intermittent fasting, assuming your last meal the day before ended around dinnertime.
Most experts agree that a 16 hour fasting period has the greatest fat loss benefits. This means that your “eating window” is only about 8 hours during the day. When you shorten the amount of time you consume calories, your body is forced to burn fat after it burns through carbohydrates, resulting in fat loss.
- Remove processed foods. Foods containing long lists of ingredients may interfere with fat loss. This is likely because processed foods contain little to no healthy fats and fiber and instead are loaded with simple carbs and sugars.
While a “health” bar may claim to contain a healthy dose of protein, do you notice that you are often hungry sooner than you would if you ate the same amount of protein from that salmon and a side of broccoli? The healthy Omega-3 fatty acids in salmon and the fiber in vegetables like broccoli keep you full longer, leading to burning fat instead of relying on carbs.
- Reduce alcohol consumption. Although the studies on alcohol consumption and fat loss are mixed, most people find that reducing alcohol consumption helps with fat loss because they naturally tend to consume less calories.
The sugars in most alcoholic beverages can quickly add up, derailing any well-planned diet and fitness program.
Mindful eating for fat loss
One of the best ways to start a fat loss program is to become aware of how you eat. Mindful eating is a completely free tool that we all have at our disposal.
When you sit down to a meal, be grateful for the food in front of you. Take note of what it looks like and how it smells. When you chew, chew slowly and taste each mouthful of food.
These mindful queues help your mind and body connect so that you can properly assess hunger levels and notice when you are feeling full, which prevents overeating.
Exercises that help you build muscle and lose fat
The core components of any good exercise program designed for fat loss include a mix of strength training and cardio.
Strength training aids in building muscle. When you lift weights, your muscle fibers break down, forcing repair that increases muscle mass and increases metabolism. A win-win for any fat loss program!
Cardio, like dancing, plyometric exercises, sprinting and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) burn calories and help create a caloric deficit, aiding in fat loss.
Any fat loss fitness program designed by CC Fitness & Wellness incorporates both cardio and strength training to maximize fat loss results.
To explore a customized fat loss program, contact Caroline today for a free assessment.
Written by Danielle Stoken, Reviewed by Caroline Collins, M.S. Ed