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Difference Between Losing Weight & Losing Fat

Any person embarking on a diet and exercise program should know how to differentiate losing weight from losing fat. Most dieters find body fat percentage far more significant for health and happiness than body weight.

  1. Misconceptions

    • Anyone going on a diet to lose weight should learn a few basic things about body mass composition first. Losing weight doesn't mean losing fat, and losing fat doesn't mean losing weight.

    Muscle Weight

    • According to UCLA, muscle mass weighs in at twice the weight of fat, but takes up one-third the space. It's common to find, after a high-quality diet and exercise program, that your weight has stayed the same, but your size has decreased.

    Normal Weight Obesity

    • Conversely, according to the Mayo Clinic, some people who weigh in at a "normal" weight or even appear slim according to the scale are at higher risk for heart problems because of their body fat percentage. The Mayo Clinic criticizes the body mass index (BMI) calculator as unable to differentiate between fat and muscle weight.

    Benefits

    • According to the University of Cincinnati, muscle can assist in the process of losing fat. A temporary gain in muscle weight now can create a slimmer figure later and improve overall health and fitness by boosting metabolism and burning fat.

    Considerations

    • Since losing muscle weight can lead to obesity later, a person pursuing fitness should undertake weight training to build muscle mass, lose fat and stay healthy.

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