Have you ever gone on a diet, seen a visible change in the number on the scale but your jeans still don’t fit? You may have lost weight but not fat and there’s a huge difference between weight and fat loss.
What is Weight Loss?
Weight loss refers to the overall reduction in your body weight, which is measured by a scale. This change in numbers refers to either a collective loss or loss of one of the following:
- Muscle Content
- Fat Content
- Water Content
According to an article by Ensoul Body Medical Clinic, focusing only on weight loss could be very detrimental to your overall health because the number on the scale doesn’t break down what type of weight you’re losing.
Muscle Loss
It is especially common to notice a decrease in muscle and water content in the body if weight is lost rapidly. According to a recent piece of research presented at the European Congress on Obesity, following a severe caloric deficit diet of around 1250cal can result in significant weight loss in five weeks. This severe caloric reduction could trigger a cycle of lower muscle mass, metabolism, and BMR (basal metabolic rate). Resulting in putting on weight much easier as the body needs fewer calories – and lower muscle mass. This means that the weight that has been lost is likely to be due to muscle loss rather than fat loss.
What is Fat Loss?
Fat loss on the other hand refers to the reduction of overall body fat in your body. This means that the fat tissue that was stored in the fat cells has been converted into energy and is ‘drained’ from the body. However, your fat cells are not eliminated from the body. When the fat tissue is converted into energy, the fat cell simply shrinks. Unlike weight loss, fat loss cannot be achieved by diet alone, you need to incorporate resistance training or non-invasive fat reduction solutions.
Non-Invasive Fat Reduction Solutions
Diet and exercise are not always enough to achieve the body of your dreams. Non-invasive fat reduction treatments are here to target and eliminate fat cells from the body which is safer for the patients. Helping those struggling with fat.
CoolSculpting
CoolSculpting, an FDA-approved non-invasive fat reduction treatment, uses cryolipolysis or fat freezing method to target fat cells at sub-zero temperatures. Under these temperatures, the fat cells are frozen and go through what is known as apoptosis (cell death). Over the course of 90 days, the broken-down fat cells are then eliminated from the body so it will take some time to see the result.
SculpSure
SculpSure, another FDA-approved non-invasive fat reduction treatment, is quite the opposite of CoolSculpting. It targets fat cells with laser technology that generates heat in the targeted region, hence, melting the fat away. The body recognizes the cells’ pending death and begins the process of eliminating them via the body’s lymphatic system.
Ultimately, to be fitter, slimmer and healthier you need to build more muscle mass while reducing fat, which is why a combination of a healthy diet and regular exercise is always the best way to achieve long-term fitness and health.