April 28, 2019: Fat Loss

My weekly Get Your Stuff Together Sunday email series gives you one actionable focus for the week that will make your life a little easier.

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Many people start on a fitness journey with the sole purpose of losing weight and seeing the number on the scale get smaller. I always love to hear when people are making an honest go of it to improve their overall health, but setting out to solely lose weight is a misguided journey. This week, we’re going to talk about why you should be shooting for fat loss rather than weight loss.

What’s the difference?

Let’s talk about the difference between fat loss and weight loss. Fat is the substance that your body uses to store excess calories found in all the foods you eat. Typically, when you lose excess fat, you also lose weight. Sometimes, though, you can maintain or even gain weight. The truth is that through strength training, you will build up lean muscle while also helping you shed excess fat through aerobic exercise. The more muscle that you build, the more fat you can burn.

More muscle = less fat

This should be a no-brainer, then - your weight should go down through exercise and strength training, right? Not necessarily. Muscle is denser than fat, so my advice to you is not to get fixated on a number on the scale. It is not an accurate measurement of your overall health. It’s just a measurement of how heavy everything in and on you is. It doesn’t give enough information.

If you’re truly setting out to improve your health in addition to losing a few pounds, then you should work on changing your overall body composition. Increasing your lean tissue-to-fat ratio indicates a more positive overall fitness level and optimal general health which is more important than the number on the scale. This is where strength training and proper nutrition come in.

Next Sunday, we’ll talk about navigating Cinco de Mayo treats without suffering.

Want some expert help with reaching your health goals painlessly? Check out my programs! We’ll get everything taken care of in a way that fits into your current lifestyle so you never have to think about your health again.

Do you have a friend who could stand to G(her)ST? Feel free to forward this!

I hope you have a wonderful week,

Kelly

Kelly Morgan, Ph.D.

Tsirona - www.tsirona.com

My weekly GYSTS email give you one actionable thing to do for the week that will make you life a little easier. As "they" say, "Fail to plan; plan to fail." Get these emails (and more!) delivered right to your inbox by clicking HERE.