Weight loss refers to the overall loss of water, fat, and muscle in your body, while fat loss is more specific, referring to weight loss from fat.

However, it can be hard to tell whether you are losing weight from water, muscle, or fat.

So here you will know the difference between fat loss vs weight loss and learn why it is more important to lose fat than weight.  This article also provides tips for losing fat and maintaining muscle.

Determining Fat Loss

Most people use a weighing scale to track their weight loss progress. Although it can be of help, this strategy doesn’t tell you whether you are losing weight from fat or muscle.

Thus, monitoring your weight using a scale alone is not enough to determine whether you are experiencing weight loss or fat loss and to what extent.

A body fat scale, on the other hand, measures the percentage of fat and muscle you have. It is a great instrument to get a more accurate picture of your body composition.

Another way of estimating your body fat percentage is using skinfold calipers.  It requires practice to ensure accuracy though.

Focus on Body Fat Loss—Not Weight Loss

Several weight loss programs promise quick and easy weight loss.  However, take note that a significant amount of this weight may include water and muscle losses.

Muscle is a very important component of your overall health, so losing them can be detrimental.

Maintaining a healthy muscle mass can be beneficial. It may help in regulating healthy blood sugar, controlling inflammation, and maintaining healthy fat levels. It may also reduce your risk of age-related muscle loss, which could potentially lead to disability and frailty.

Muscles can help you burn more calories even while at rest. This is why men have higher calorie requirements than women.

On the other hand, a higher fat-to-muscle ratio has been linked to chronic diseases, including diabetes and heart disease.

Therefore, losing weight from muscle can reduce the number of calories you burn at rest, thus causing weight gain.

Losing Fat and Gaining or Maintaining Muscle

Wondering how to lose body fat percentage? There are a few simple ways to ensure you are losing fat and gaining or maintaining muscle mass. These include following a slightly low-calorie, nutrient-dense diet, increasing protein intake, and exercising regularly.

Follow a slightly low-calorie, nutrient-dense diet

Creating a calorie deficit is key to weight loss success. You can do this by exercising, eating fewer calories than you actually burn, or preferably both.

However, take note that reducing your calorie intake too much can cause greater muscle loss instead of fat loss.

So make sure to reduce your calorie intake moderately by around 500–600 per day to facilitate fat loss while minimizing muscle loss.

You can reduce your calorie intake by eating lean protein foods, fruits, vegetables, unsweetened products and beverages, and low-fat dairy.

Load up on protein

Protein is crucial for several bodily functions.

It is vital in regulating fluid balance, producing enzymes that aid in digestion and energy production, and supporting immunity. It is also important to support new muscle growth during weight loss and to maintain muscle mass.

In fact, men who consumed a higher protein diet have been shown in one 4-week study of young men to gain 2.4 pounds (1.1 kg) more muscle and lose 2.9 pounds (1.3 kg) more fat mass than those who ate a lower protein diet.

In addition, the same study observed that eating a high protein recovery snack after a high-intensity resistance exercise also made a huge difference.

Although loading up on protein with a lower-calorie diet alone may not promote muscle mass gain, it may still help you in terms of muscle retention and fat loss.

In fact, a high protein diet has been found in a review of 20 studies involving men and women over 50 to cause more fat loss and muscle mass retention.

Protein needs vary from individual to individual, depending on sex, age, physical activity level, and health.  The recommended daily protein intake is 0.45–0.73 grams per pound of bodyweight to support fat loss and muscle mass retention.

Exercise regularly

Exercise is an excellent way to create a calorie deficit and lose fat.

In fact, obese older adults on a calorie-restricted diet who engaged in cardio and weight training at least three times per week have been found in a review of 6 studies to retain 93% more of their muscle as compared with those who did not exercise.

Although exercise is an effective strategy for muscle retention, it can even be more beneficial when combined with a higher protein intake.

According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, adults are recommended to exercise at least 150–300 minutes per week.

There are a lot of fat burning exercises, such as walking and cycling.

The Takeaway

Weight loss is the overall loss of fat, muscle, and water in your body, whereas fat loss is more specific, referring to weight loss from fat only.

To determine whether you are losing weight from fat, you can use a body fat scale or skinfold caliper. Or you can also measure your waist and hips from time to time using a tape measure or note any changes in how your clothes fit around your waist.

Losing fat should be prioritized instead of losing weight considering that your fat-to-muscle ratio is very vital to your overall health.

To do so, you can follow a slightly low-calorie, nutrient-dense diet, load up on protein, and exercise regularly.