Written by: Karla Bosnar, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Weight loss vs fat loss, what’s the difference and why does it matter? Think about this. “Toned” or “skinny fat”? One you want, the other you don’t.
Too often I’ve seen women making the mistake of going on 1200-calorie diets and putting themselves through excessive cardio, thinking that this is the way to achieve a toned, fit, lean and sculpted body. After all this dieting, restriction and hard work, they’re left disappointed with a body that looks the same in terms of shape and definition.
Many women still fear lifting weights, thinking it’ll make them bulky.
One, building muscle is actually hard work and doesn't happen by accident. Two, muscle does not make a woman look bulky. Want to know what does? Excess body fat.
The only difference between a “toned” muscle and an “untoned” muscle, is the amount of body fat around it. So when you say you want to be toned, what you actually want is more muscle that is more visible. Muscle is what gives you shape. Trust me, it’s what you want! Not to mention all the health benefits that come with it.
So how do we actually achieve a toned body?
First, you can “recomp”. This is short for body recompositioning, where we build muscle and lose fat at the same time. Unless you've got quite a lot of weight to lose, are new to the gym or are taking illegal ergogenic aids, then losing body fat and gaining muscle at the same time is a very very slow process, but it is possible. So if you’re happy to hover around your maintenance calories and train consistently, you’ll notice changes over the years, building your body and seeing all those daily and weekly efforts compounding.
How do we speed up the process? With build phases, where we increase calories, train hard, lift weights which is then followed by a smart deficit (fat loss) phase where the goal is to maintain as much muscle as possible while losing body fat.
Building muscle won’t happen if your calories are too low. Protein is another very important factor and too many women don’t hit their required protein level.
You also want to be following a program and training with the right intensity in order to get the best results!
Coming back to weight loss vs fat loss.
A low-calorie diet, fast weight loss, low protein and only cardio is going to lead to weight loss, rather than fat loss. This means the weight you do lose is most likely a combination of water weight, muscle and fat.
Imagine losing 5kg.
4.5kg from body fat + 0.5kg from muscle VS 2.5kg from fat and 2.5kg from muscle. Which one would you rather?
One leads to a “toned” body, the other…not so much.
To find out more, head to my Instagram page @karlabosnar_exphys
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Karla Bosnar, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Karla Bosnar is a mum and business owner. She is an online exercise physiologist who has a unique approach that combines evidence based training, nutrition for fat loss and mindset work, with 11 years of experience. Karla grew up playing tennis, loves the outdoors, and is passionate about creating programs that get women strong, powerful and resilient! She has battled through her own disordered eating and found true food and body freedom. Faith and family are important values! Movement mastery, body transformation and mindset work! Karla has seen women break through their barriers and achieve their full potential through this work. She created a life she truly loves and wants the same for other women.
