There is a tendency to interchange weight loss and fat loss. Of course, by losing fat you lose weight, but it is not true the other way. If you are losing weight, you lose some part of fat and muscle along with water weight. Fat stores are unhealthy and it is absolutely necessary to put in all efforts that are directed towards fat loss from the body. When you burn away the fat stores, you attain overall weight loss.
If we found ourself being overweight or obese, the immediate efforts would be to look for weight loss methods. Of course, they do help in a positive way; most of them however offer temporary results only. This is because in most cases people lose the water weight followed by loss of muscle. Our body metabolism is tuned in such a way that when there is an insufficient calorie intake, the glycogen stores are first used up (as these are ready glucose molecules). Then the protein energy from lean tissue is used up. Only afterwards are the triglycerides from the fat stores used in the energy conversion process. So, unless you put in strenuous efforts it is difficult to extract and burn off the fat stores.
When you undertake any weight loss efforts, you must direct them towards maximizing the fat loss. Undergo a body fat test to determine the fat composition in your body. Your aim must be to get rid of the excess fats. Even if you have a good amount of weight loss, but your fat levels have seen a marginal dip, then your weight loss efforts have been wasted. On the contrary, you have lost muscle, thereby reducing henceforth your energy burning capacity.
Build Muscle
Pick up your weights. Burning fat is propelled with greater muscle mass. Eat a protein packed diet and follow a strength training schedule. Though cardio is more popular for calorie burning, the process gets stopped once you are done with your routine cardio. But, by building and bulking up your muscle mass, there is a constant energy used up by the muscles. Even when you are resting energy is expended by the muscles. This greater need for energy results in fat loss.
Ensure that you have a trainer on hand before you start on with your weight training. The risk of injury is high if you not pick your weights properly. Choosing the right weight and position is very vital to derive the full benefit of the workouts.
Avoid Fad Diets
Following such diets would result only in water loss and muscle loss. Though you might find quick results, the gain will rebound once you are out of these diets. Long periods of crash dieting make your muscles weak and slow down the metabolism. A sluggish metabolism hampers the fat loss. Weight loss will shrink you but fat loss brings out the muscles and helps to show your enviable physique which hitherto remained hidden under layers of fat.
To conclude, your efforts must be directed at losing fat which in turn will help you to attain your weight loss goals.