Fat Loss vs. Weight Loss Tips!

I am against the biggest loser mentality because I think it encourages the wrong approach to fat loss.  A person’s goal shouldn’t be to lose as much weight as possible in the shortest amount of time.  It should be to lose fat and build muscle on a continual basis.  Emphasizing muscle gains will yield the greatest long term results.  The key phrase there is long term.

If your program is simply focused on weight loss there’s a high probability your plan lacks an emphasis on building muscle and that is where the trouble begins.

Losing muscle is a bad thing for long term results because every ounce of muscle you can gain, you raise your resting metabolic rate.  That’s right; with more muscle added to your body you will burn more calories each day right out of the gate.  That is why having a strong muscle building component to your program is critical for fat loss.

Here are a few simple tips to make sure your plan is emphasizing fat loss:

1. Incorporate Max-OT style weight training to build muscle. High rep training will not give you more muscle tone and will be far less effective for building and maintaining muscle.

2. Keep the cardio short and intense to best elevate your metabolism. Long duration cardio can have a negative impact on the muscle building process and is less effective for fat loss.

3. Eat a controlled calorie diet that emphasizes consistent protein intake. You need to watch your calories but you also need to make sure the calories you ingest are supplying quality nutrients by selecting nutrient dense, protein rich foods.

4. Don’t avoid carbohydrates just keep them for your post workout meals. The post workout window is the time of day when your body is most absorptive and will use the carbohydrates for muscle support not fat gain.  A very low carb diet is counter productive for building and maintaining muscle.

5. Eat lots of green crunchy vegetables. When you are on a low calorie diet vegetables assist the fat loss process by supplying plenty of fiber which helps keep your metabolism elevated and vegetables increase food volume while adding virtually zero calories.

Keep these tips in mind as you structure your fat loss plan and avoid being a slave to the scale.  Remember, your goal should be fat loss not simply weight loss and your results will be better reflected in how your clothes fit and how you look in the mirror rather than a number on the scale.