FAT LOSE VERSUS WEIGHT LOSS.

  "All I want is to lose weight" is among the leading causes for most people to venture into fitness. This is achieved by either eating right or engaging in some form of physical activity. Often than not, the statement is accompanied by another which sounds like "I would want to lose fat around this or that region of the body". 

This from an analytical point of view can be a bit confusing despite the probability of losing weight and fat at the same time. 

The distinction between fat loss and weight loss can be quite difficult especially for the general masses. Technically they sound the same but there is a slight difference in the execution and their sustainability. One leans more towards a reduction of the figures on the weighing scale while the other leans more towards body recomposition. 

The million dollar question for most people becomes, "What should I go for?". 

To delve into this, we must first understand what each of these processes mean.

What is fat loss?

It is the reduction of stored body fats specifically from stored adipose tissue without necessarily losing muscle or water weight. There is an increase in lean and defined muscle mass when resistance training is incorporated. 

What actually happens during the process?

 Fat is stored as triglycerides in fat cells (adipocytes), mostly under the skin (subcutaneous) or around organs (visceral). When the body needs energy and isn't getting enough from food, it activates hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) to release fatty acid into the bloodstream. These fatty acids are transported into the cells, especially muscle cells where they are burned via beta-oxidation into the mitochondria to produce ATP - the body's energy currency. The byproduct of fat metabolism exit the body through breathing, urine and sweat.

Why does fat loss matter?

• Improves metabolic health - this is achieved by better insulin sensitivity, lowered inflammation and healthier cholesterol levels. 
• Reduces risk of diseases - lower visceral fats mean, lower risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
• Enhances physical performance - lean bodies move more efficiently and recover faster.
• Boost mental and emotional well-being - this is often linked to improved self-esteem and mood. 

How to promote fat loss effectively and efficiently.

This has always sparked controversies, especially on matters entailing abdominal muscles. Doing a million sits ups on a daily basis won't guarantee them especially if genetics isn't there. 

This boils down to reduction in general fat mass and how do you achieve that:

1. Being on a calorie deficit - eating less than your burn.
2. Resistance training - this will really help in body recomposition i.e. the ability to replace fat mass with additional muscle mass.
3. Stress management - high stress levels spikes the cortisol hormone which easily triggers emotional eating which leans more towards fatty and sugary foods.
4. Frequent hormonal checkups - this will aid in early detection on situations like reduction in testosterone levels for men and thyroidism for women which often affects the rate of fat loss.

What is weight loss?

It is the reduction of total body mass, which comes from fat, muscle, bone and water. It is a broad term that doesn't specify what you are losing, just the reduction of the figures on the weighing scale.

Unlike fat mass, weight loss can easily be achieved. Often, people skip meals or avoid certain foods mostly carbs with an aim of weight reduction. For most, a reduction on the scale tends to be quite evident but the downside of it all is the sustainability aspect. 

Being too aggressive about weight reduction can lead to something called "Hitting a plateau".

This is where stagnation kicks in which can easily be catapulted by a slight reluctance on consistency. A few days or weeks off can drain all the efforts made in months. Same applies to fat loss but the effects can't be as drastic as weight loss.

Intentional  versus unintentional weight loss.

-Intentional weight loss is where the individual is conscious about the effort being put in place for results to take shape. This could be through nutrition, physical activity or through medical interventions like use of Ozempic.

-Unintentional weight loss stems from unconscious state. This mostly could be influenced by underlying medical conditions or chronic stress. One of the ways to spot it is, if it's too radical.

What efficient factors would safely influence weight loss?

1. Being on a calorie deficit - this is the ability to eat less and burn more calories. This can be precisely achieved by having a kitchen scale to track calories consumed and having a smartwatch to track calories burned.
   
   
   
2. Ability to boost your metabolism -this evolve  measures that can quickly convert food into energy like being physically active. A recommendation of taking a small walk after a heavy meal can complement this. The ability to increase muscle mass through strength training will put anyone at a great position to achieve this. The science behind it is that excess calories in the body are converted into fats. Too much fats in the system can easily result in fluctuation of the body weight unless you try the new weighing technique.
   
   
   
3. Lifestyle factors - the ability to be physically active most times and eating right would really help in the process. Rise in obesity among the general population is influenced by being sedentary. This is just but a ticking time bomb before other chronic conditions like diabetes starts tagging along.

Some of the health benefits of losing weight:

a) Improved insulin sensitivity.

b) Lower blood pressure and cholesterol

c) Reduced joint pain and inflammation. 

d) Lower risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Common pitfalls:

1. Being too aggressive about it leads to loss of muscle mass which is essential for the longevity of any human.

2. It's lack of sustainability is perceived by experts to be a short-term solution for a long-term problem. Anybody can lose weight when intake of water and food is restricted for a few days. All that can easily be gained back when reversed.

3. Often it results to scale obsession which is a wrong metric for gauging progress especially if the goal is long term. Fluctuation of water intake and slight increment of calories could spike figures on the scale. A 90 day checkup mechanism would be quite ideal when incorporated with other methods like weight training, reduction in chronic stress and regular checkups on sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen levels.

Most experts emphasise on fat loss as compared to weight loss due to sustainability and longevity. Fat loss is perceived to be difficult for it takes quite some time for results to show unlike weight loss. 

This prompts people to seek for easier ways like  liposuction which is a cosmetic surgical procedure where fat is sacked out through a thin tube called Cannula. It could be quite expensive for a regular individual. Fat freezing too is another form of getting rid of fats in the body.

Intermittent fasting where one has a specific window for eating is one of the mechanism that has been around for quite some time. It is a concept that stems from ancient Greek philosophers like Plato and Hippocrates who advocated for it due to its ability to promote mental clarity and heal illnesses linked to food restriction. It's  also linked to religious practices where muslims engage in Ramadan and christians engage in Lent which is 40 days of fasting. Modern research and studies also link important health benefits of intermittent fasting like boost in insulin sensitivity and weight loss.

The million dollar question about intermittent fasting becomes, is it sustainable and if so, for how long?

https://www.youtube.com/@fitnesswithqq254

https://x.com/Getfitwithqq?t=TTw1u9xHZKPMKumMuh9_sQ&s=09

 https://www.instagram.com/fitnesswithqq?igsh=cWpxdGkyMnRjc2pk