Weight loss or fat loss? |19 January 2024

Now that the festive season is officially done and dusted, reality has started to kick in for most of us. While it was fun attending all the parties, dinners and events, many of us realise that we have gained weight and now we want to do something about it. Unfortunately, when we think about weight loss our focus most of the time is solely on the number on the scale going down.

This is why most people give up on sustaining lifestyle changes that they have made. They step on the scale and find that the number is unchanged or the number is going up and they think it’s not worth it. All that the number on the scale is telling you however is how much you weigh. It does not tell you the whole story such as what is making up that weight.

Your body composition refers to everything in your body, which inadvertently makes up your body mass or weight. There are two compartments used to simplify body composition: fat mass and fat-free mass. Fat mass includes all fat tissue in the body whereas fat-free mass represents everything else that is not fat such as muscle, bone, organs and body fluid.

Knowing how your body composition is changing is often more useful than just focusing on weight changes alone. This is because the weight change can be due to a gain or loss of muscle or fat or due to fluid changes but you will not know that by just looking at the number. Therefore, before giving up because you are not reaching your desired weight, familiarise yourself with body composition so that you have a better understanding of what is really happening inside your body. Let’s start off by understanding a bit more about body fat.

Body fat  

Many of us may still have difficulty wrapping our head around the concept of focusing on fat loss. Remember our weight is more than just body fat and we certainly do not want to reduce our muscle, bone or organ mass. Understanding from the start that what we are targeting with weight loss is actually body fat loss, is important. Nevertheless, we also need to understand a bit more about fat.

Although we usually think of fat as something bad, it has important functions in the body. Firstly, it is an important source of stored energy for when we do not have access to food for an extended amount of time. Fat is also important for the creation of hormones and enzymes that are involved in immune and reproductive health. Fat also cushions important body organs and provides insulation, helping in the regulation of our body temperature.

So when does fat become a problem? The amount of fat cells is pre-determined at birth and during puberty, remaining unchanged in adulthood so long as weight is stable. However, dietary changes can lead to increase in the size of fat cells as well as cause an increase in the number of cells distributed throughout the body. This eventually leads to excess fat or obesity.

Knowing the location of fat cells is important in reducing body fat. The first is subcutaneous fat which is the most abundant type of fat in the body and is found underneath the skin’s surface. Its main role is to cushion the bones and joints. Subcutaneous fat tends to accumulate in the lower parts of the body such as the waist, hips, buttocks, and thighs. High amounts of subcutaneous fat can increase the risk of chronic disease, but not as much as visceral fat. 

Visceral fat is a type of fat which tends to accumulate in the abdominal cavity and wraps around digestive organs like the liver, pancreas and intestines but also other organs like the heart. Excessive visceral fat can therefore lead to “central obesity” which is linked with a higher risk of certain chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.

Measuring body composition

Now comes the interesting part. How do you actually measure your body composition? There are different ways but the most accurate methods usually cost more and not easily accessible, being used in research studies or specialised medical centres. There are however, simple and easy methods done by health professionals in primary health care that can give you an idea of changes in your body composition, mainly body fat, although these are usually not as accurate.

Circumference measurements

Waist circumference measurement is one of the simplest methods to use but will usually give you an indication of visceral fat, a type of fat found in the abdominal area. If you are a woman with a waist measurement of more than 88cm (35 inches) or a man with a waist measurement of more than 102cm (40 inches), you may have a higher disease risk than people with smaller waist measurements because of where their fat lies. This is true even if your body mass index (BMI) falls within the normal category. Hip circumference usually gives an indication of subcutaneous fat which is not as harmful as visceral fat.

Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)

The waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) looks at the proportion of fat stored on your body around your waist and hip and therefore assesses fat distribution. The waist-to-hip ratio is calculated by dividing your waist circumference by your hip circumference.Having an apple shape (carrying extra weight around the stomach) is riskier for your health than having a pear shape (carrying extra weight around your hips or thighs). Ideally, women should have a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.8 or less, whereas men should have a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.95 or less. If you have more weight around your waist you have a greater risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes than someone with more weight around their hips.

Bioelectrical Impedance Analyser (BIA)

This is a mouthful and sounds very technical, so we will just stick to using the term BIA. This device sends electrical currents throughout your body and then measures the speed at which it travels. This is then used to estimate your body fat percentage. However, it is not without limitations. Thereare many factors that can affect your results such as food and fluid intake and time of the day when the device is used. It is therefore best to use the BIA early morning, in the fasted state.   

Improving your body composition

Healthy eating

There are some simple things you can start doing today to help improve your body composition. Ideally you want to reduce body fat and increase muscle mass. When it comes to your food, being mindful of the types and amount that you eat is important to help reduce body fat. Eating high amounts of highly processed foods that are high in sugar and saturated fats will increase body fat. Therefore, try to cut down on soft drinks and juices and replace it with water; cut back on sweets, chocolate, cakes, biscuits and pastries and choose more fruits, vegetables, plain yoghurt and nuts as healthy snack alternatives. Reduce your intake of fast food like chips, burger, pizzas and have more home-cooked meals comprising of fish, chicken, lean meat, eggs, vegetables, wholegrains and local starches like breadfruit.

Physical activity

Physical activity is any body movement that involves your skeletal muscle and uses up energy. This includes walking, jogging, swimming, gardening, cycling, dancing and even hiking. You should aim for 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity at least five times per week. You should also include weight training to increase your muscle mass.

It doesn’t take a lot to start noticing changes in your body (forget about the scale for a minute as muscle weighs more than fat!). You might notice for instance that your clothes are looser or your tummy is a lot flatter but consistency and determination are key to sustaining any changes that you make. So what are you waiting for to get started?

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Please get in touch by emailing eat4ourhealth@gmail.com and let us know how you’re doing with these ideas, or better still, let us know how we can help you.

Yours in health

The Nutrition Team