Fat reduction, and weight loss

The desire to reduce excess body weight is the main reason why people decide to change their existing lifestyles. However, many people approach weight loss in the wrong way and focus only on the number of pounds lost on the scale, instead of paying close attention to the changes in body composition taking place. So let's find out how typical weight loss differs from a well-planned fat reduction process.

• Why is excessive body fat harmful to health?
• How is weight loss different from fat reduction?
• What makes maintaining muscle mass so important?
• How to effectively reduce body fat?
• Regular strength training helps maintain muscle mass on reduction
• Adequate protein intake protects against loss of muscle mass

Why is excessive body fat harmful to health?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), overweight and obesity are defined as an abnormal and excessive accumulation of body fat in the human body that poses a real threat to health. Obesity is a disease that has been officially listed in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Health Problems (ICD-10). Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and premature death. Statistics show that the prevalence of obesity has more than tripled worldwide since 1975. A survey of adults living in 20 European countries showed that overweight and obesity occur in as many as 53.1% of people. So it's no wonder that dieting to get rid of excess weight is so common today.

How is weight loss different from fat reduction?

The vast majority of people who want to lose weight set a goal to lose a certain amount of weight over a certain period of time (e.g. 10 kg in 3 months). The rapid rate of excess weight loss undoubtedly motivates one to continue to follow a weight loss diet and perform regular exercise to continue the good fortune. Many people at a certain stage of weight loss decide to further reduce their dietary caloric intake and/or increase their exercise in order to maintain the initial rate of weight loss. However, it is worth noting that long-term adherence to a diet that is very low in calories (e.g., 800-1000 kcal) and low in protein (0.8-1.0 g per kg of total body weight) can lead to significant loss of muscle mass, depletion of muscle glycogen stores and marked deterioration of mental and physical performance. Therefore, it makes sense to focus primarily on reducing body fat and maximizing the preservation of muscle mass, rather than solely on losing pounds on the scale, which is usually associated with weight loss. This is due to the fact that during rapid weight loss resulting from adherence to a very low-calorie diet, one can lose a relatively large amount of lean body mass (especially muscle mass) and basically little body fat, the reduction of which should be the main goal of a person wishing to lose weight. It's good to know how the weight loss process works and whether most of the weight lost really comes from body fat.

What makes maintaining muscle mass so important?

Desired weight loss should come almost exclusively from the reduction of excess body fat, as it is a key cardiometabolic risk factor. However, it is inevitable that some unintended weight loss will also occur from lean body mass, including skeletal muscle mass. In general, the average loss of lean body mass is between 20 and 40%, with the remainder coming from adipose tissue. A large loss of lean body mass, and even more so of skeletal muscle mass, can have a number of potentially negative consequences for both short- and long-term health and fitness, but also for the exercise capacity of competitive and recreational athletes. Thus, optimal weight loss strategies should aim to maximize the preservation of skeletal muscle mass.

How to effectively reduce body fat?

Restricting caloric intake to below total daily energy requirements combined with increased levels of physical activity (both aerobic and strength) is the main non-surgical and non-pharmacological therapeutic strategy to reduce body fat. Adherence to an appropriate reduction diet and regular physical activity are important for achieving clinically meaningful weight loss for health, as well as for performance capabilities in competitive and amateur athletes. In addition to a moderate caloric deficit diet and exercise (especially strength training), it is worth paying attention to adequate fluid intake and proper sleep and rest. Health benefits of reducing excess body fat include: improved tissue sensitivity to insulin, improved glycemic parameters, lower blood pressure and a better blood lipid profile.

Regular strength training helps maintain muscle mass on reduction

Studies have shown that it is possible to maintain lean body mass, including skeletal muscle mass through regular exercise, especially strength training during long-term weight loss. Systematic strength exercises both with one's own body weight and with additional weight (including: barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands) during a period of fat reduction are the most effective way to protect against loss of lean body mass and a decline in the body's performance capabilities**. In addition to this, regular strength training combined with a well-composed reduction diet has been shown to reduce body fat percentage, fat mass and visceral fat in healthy adults.

Adequate protein intake protects against loss of muscle mass

A properly balanced diet aimed at effective fat reduction should include protein intake well above current guidelines for the healthy adult population, which is 0.8 g per kg of total body weight per day. All individuals who care about reducing body fat percentage, preserving muscle mass and maintaining satiety between meals should provide at least 1.2 g of protein per kg of total body weight each day. Practically speaking, each meal should contain between 20 and 40 g of protein, depending on body weight and the number of meals consumed during the day.

Sources:

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