Correct weight loss comes from just losing fat. Most people do not realize that when they try to lose weight, not all of it may be fat loss. They use the weight scales as a guide and celebrate when they achieve a target weight. Yet the target weight may be the results of some fat, muscle and water loss.

Weight Loss

Your body is made out of muscles, bones, tissue and fat. When you measure your weight on the weighing scales, you are measuring the combined weight of your muscles, bones, tissue and fat. Weight loss is the difference in weight measured. There is no possible way of ascertaining what proportion of the weight reduction is attributed to fat, water or muscles.

Fat Loss

Fat loss is when the difference in weight is attributed solely to the loss of fat. There is no muscle or water loss.

Effective Weight Loss

Your weight loss is effective if it is healthy and sustainable. Effective weight loss comes from losing fat while maintaining or building your muscle reserves. Effective weight loss is also correct weight loss. Weight reduction is not effective if there is muscle loss. Muscle loss is unhealthy and should be avoided at all costs. Muscle loss negatively affects your metabolism and your hormonal balance. Effective water loss should have minimum water loss.

Muscle and Water Loss Should be Minimized

Muscle and water loss occur when you go on a drastic diet. Most of the time, these types of diet do not have exercise. A diet sends signals to the body that there is a shortage of food. The body then hordes its fat supplies and starts to break down muscles. The body holds on to its fat reserves to prepare for a prolonged duration of famine. Muscles require calories to sustain. As such, muscles are a liability at times of food scarcity. The body took these steps to enable our prehistoric ancestors to survive periods of severe starvation.

Unfortunately, the body has no idea of knowing that no one ever dies of starvation anymore. In fact more people die from over eating than starving.

Water is another by-product of rapid weight loss. Muscles is a storage for glycogen. Glycogen is a form of carbohydrate used by the muscles when instant energy is needed. It is like rocket fuel. Glycogen holds a lot of water. When muscles are broken down during a starvation diet, water is released from the glycogen. While weight loss attributed to water could be significant, it has little positive effect on metabolism and health.

Muscle and Water Loss Results in Weight Regain

Muscle loss causes your metabolism to become sluggish.  A sluggish metabolism becomes a problem when you come off the diet. No one stays on a diet forever. When you go back to your regular lifestyle, there is a caloric surplus. The pre-diet you had a metabolism that could deal with most of these calories. The post-diet you would have a higher calorie surplus. When your metabolism becomes sluggish, it simply means that you need lesser calories to sustain your life.

Water weight loss is rarely sustainable. Your body will try to restore water levels once you come off your diet. in fact the body may even try to over-compensate by storing more water than necessary. It may store more water that you had before you started the diet.

Measuring Body Fat Levels

This cannot be ascertained via the weight scales. There are some biolelectric weight scales that can assess your body fat levels. These weight scales send a tiny current through your body. These machines are expensive and highly unreliable. the best way to measure body fat levels is via body fat calipers. These calipers are inexpensive and fairly accurate.

All of Your Weight Loss Must Come from Fat Loss

Ensure that you consistently keep track of your body fat levels. Religiously measure your body fat% levels. Take steps when you find that you are losing muscles.