Fat Loss vs. Weight Loss: Why the Scale Isn't Everything
The number on the scale is the combined weight of fat, muscle, bone, water and the contents of your digestive tract. That is why your weight can go up or down by one to two kilos in a single day without a single gram of fat changing.
Rapid Weight Loss Is Usually Water Loss
On very low-carb diets, the glycogen stores in your muscles are depleted, and a lot of water leaves the body along with them. The result is a few kilos lost in the first week that come right back once you return to normal eating.
The Right Goal: Lose Fat, Keep Muscle
- A moderate calorie deficit: 300 to 500 calories below your daily needs, for a loss of about 0.5 to 1 percent of body weight per week.
- Strength training: sends your body the message that "this muscle is needed."
- Enough protein: prevents muscle breakdown while in a calorie deficit.
- Enough sleep: lack of sleep increases hunger and impairs recovery.
How to Measure Real Progress
- Waist measurement: once a week, in the morning on an empty stomach, at the level of your navel.
- Weekly average weight instead of a single day's number.
- Strength in training: if your strength holds up during a calorie deficit, your muscle is being preserved.
- A monthly photo with the same lighting and angle.
In ProGym's health tracking section, you can log your weight, waist size and body fat percentage and see their 90-day trends on a chart.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between fat loss and weight loss?
Weight loss can include losing water, muscle and digestive contents, while fat loss means a reduction in body fat itself. The right goal is to lose fat while keeping muscle.
Why does my weight change by one to two kilos in a day?
The scale shows the combined weight of fat, muscle, bone, water and digestive contents, so shifts in water and food can move the number without any change in fat.
What calorie deficit is right for fat loss?
A moderate deficit of 300 to 500 calories below your daily needs works well, leading to a loss of about 0.5 to 1 percent of body weight per week.
How can I measure real fat-loss progress?
Measure your waist once a week, go by your weekly average weight, track your strength in training and take a monthly photo with the same lighting and angle.
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