Weight loss vs Fat Loss - Exercise & Fitness Message Board

shay34 · 01-19-2005, 08:19 AM

Can someone please explain to me the difference and how to acheive both. I want to see weight loss on the scale but I also want to make sure that i'm losing fat in the process. I have seen many people lose weight but they still appear to look fat.

Naxis · 01-19-2005, 09:24 AM

This is the primary problem we have in weight loww. If you're losing weight, but it isn't fat, then you are losing lean muscle mass and water, which is bad. Lemme re-post the 101 on healthy weight loss.

Diet: there are a lot of methods to reaching the same goals, but a few "rules" that must be followed.
Calories are the primary factor in determining fat loss. You must have a caloric deficit (burning more than you are eating) on a consistent, daily basis or you will not lose fat. Conversely, if you eat too little, your body will slow its metabolism and hang onto fat, so you have to find the right range for your body. Gerneral rule of thumb is 10-12x bodyweight in calories each day (higher in the range if you're working out). If you can, divide those calories into 4 - 6 small meals to eat throughout the day (every 2-3 hours). It will keep you from being hungry and keep metabolism up so that you will use the nutrients and burn fat more efficiently and even out blood sugar levels.
Once that is in order, check the content of your diet.
If you are actice, you need to be getting enough protein to build and maintain lean muscle mass (which keeps metabolism high) which is generally .8 to 1g per pound of body weight. This will also help keep your body from stroring fat. Egg whites, chicken or turkey breast, fish, lean beef, even nuts, soy beans, various legumes and dairy.
Carbs should be complex. Avoid sugars and white foods when possible (white bread, white rice, pasta etc) because your body metabolizes them like it would sugar which increases likelihood of fat storage. Whole grain breads, oats, and brown rice and the like are burned more slowly and less likely to be stored. The key it to keep blood sugar levels fairly even. Vegetables and grains are always a good choice, fruits are ok, but don't overdo it (sugar).
You must have fats. They are not the devil. But fat has 9 calories per gram (as opposed to 4 calories per gram for carbs and protein) so those calories can add up fast. A little healthy/unsaturated fat each day will help your body to use it's own fat for fuel (under a caloric deficit), as well as regulate hormones and various body functions. Olive oil, fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, nuts and seeds all have good fat.
And try to drink 1-3 litres of water a day.

Now, for a workout, 3x a week is a good place to start. You need to condition yourself some before going full force. If you want to go to the gym, a little resistance training hitting each muscle group will help get some muscle tone. If you decide to do it at home, a small set of dumbells or resistance bands will be okay. Cardio for 20-30 minutes 3x a week will help build cardiovascular endurance and burn calories. As you get more conditioned you can increase the # of days, the amount of time and/or the intensity of your workouts.

justanothagirl · 01-19-2005, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Naxis

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Calories are the primary factor in determining fat loss. You must have a caloric deficit (burning more than you are eating) on a consistent, daily basis or you will not lose fat.

But what about zigzag-dieting. You have one refeed-day, don't you?

ChappyBoy · 01-19-2005, 11:15 AM

No, a higher calorie day or refeed day is not recommended for the average person. This technique can be used for extremists at the harshest points of a diet. ( bodybuilders, wrestlers) to spark the metabolism. For the general public this will do more harm than good.

Naxis · 01-19-2005, 11:23 AM

A whole day might be detrimental, but I think at least 1 "cheat" meal every week or two is good psychologically, if nothing else. If you know you're not deprived of that sundae you've been dying for (you just have to wait till The Day) then you'll be less likely to cheat throughout the week. And a single meal (unless it's a whole cheesecake) won't do enough noticeable damage to kill a really good, honest week of clean eating and exercise.
Zig Zag works too, but even that is generally keeping a deficit every day. Just higher in the range on training days and lower on rest/recovery days. How you end up planning your diet depends a lot on your lifestyle, your commitment level and how meticulous you want to get. Some people like to plan out every meal, every portion, every minute on the treadmill, and some people will just "eyeball" it (though will often get mediocre results at best.)