Expert advice on losing weight vs losing fat

March 28, 2025
4 minutes
Healthy Eating

When it comes to health and wellness, the terms "fat loss" and "weight loss" are often used interchangeably, but they actually mean different things. Here, we'll explore the difference between fat loss and weight loss, how you can track fat loss if you're interested in doing so for health reasons, as well as holistic techniques that can support healthy fat loss.

Weight loss vs fat loss: What's the difference?

Understanding the difference between weight loss and fat loss can be integral to a health journey in which you're working to decrease your total body fat.

Weight loss refers to a decrease in total body mass. When you lose weight, you might be losing fat—but you may also be losing muscle, water, and even bone density. Fat loss, on the other hand, specifically refers to the reduction of body fat, also known as adipose tissue. Having excess adipose tissue can lead to a number of health problems, including metabolic syndrome, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and more. Focusing on losing fat—instead of just focusing on losing weight—can help to decrease the risks of these health issues.

Tracking fat loss

While a standard bathroom scale can be used to track weight loss, they often fail to give you the whole story. Simply looking at your weight on a scale doesn't let you know whether you're gaining or losing muscle, water, or fat.

Instead of relying strictly on the scale to track your progress toward your goals, consider keeping track of your fat loss using one of the following methods:

• Bioelectrical scales: Certain scales can estimate your body fat percentage, and can show changes in your body fat over time. While bioelectrical scales aren't as accurate as other methods of body fat measurements, they can provide you with an idea of your progress.
• Calipers: Body fat calipers measure folds of skin to determine body fat percentage. Many prefer this method because it's inexpensive and simple to do at home.
• DEXA scans: A DEXA scan is a painless medical imaging test done in your doctor's office or in a medical imaging facility that uses a machine to measure bone density and body composition. In addition to providing information on total body fat percentage, DEXA scans can also provide valuable information about bone health.
• Online calculators: Online calculators are typically less reliable than other methods of measuring body fat, but they can be a simple, quick way to get a general idea of your progress. Choosing a calculator that allows you to input measurements (instead of just height and weight) can provide a more accurate assessment than calculators that use fewer metrics.

Benefits of fat loss

We spoke with Kara Landau, registered dietitian and founder of The Prebiotic Dietitian, about how healthy fat loss can benefit overall health. "Considering muscle mass is extremely important as we age, and is an active tissue that helps with a number of metabolic functions, including our ability to tolerate carbohydrates, it is important to maintain muscle mass," Landau said. "Fat mass is mostly metabolically inactive and has been shown again and again to be detrimental to our health, including accelerating the progression of lifestyle disease development."

How your metabolism can affect fat loss

Your metabolism determines how your body processes, uses, and stores energy. This means that your metabolic health plays a key role in the fat loss process.

Your BMR, or basal metabolic rate, determines the amount of energy that your body needs to exist at rest. You can increase your BMR by getting plenty of rest, building lean muscle through strength training, and increasing your protein intake. The higher your BMR, the more calories you'll burn—allowing your body to use stored fat to meet its energy needs.

In order to lose fat, you'll need to eat at a caloric deficit. It's important to make sure that your caloric deficit isn't too severe, as this can cause your body to recruit muscle tissue instead of fat tissue for energy. Slow, steady weight loss seems to be most effective for supporting metabolic health and creating a sustainable, healthy weight.

Holistic methods for fat loss

There are several strategies you can use to increase your body's ability to burn fat, including:

• Prioritize whole foods. Choosing single-ingredient foods can create a more filling eating experience than processed options. Many people find that weight loss naturally follows a whole foods diet.
• Consume plenty of protein. Landau says that it's important to eat protein rich foods at every meal. When paired with resistance training, getting plenty of protein can both boost your BMR and help you retain muscle mass as you lose fat.
• Limit your sugar intake. Added sugar drives up overall caloric intake quickly, and limiting sugar intake is a simple way to support healthy fat loss. Bonus: cutting down on sugar often supports healthy skin, and can help to even your energy levels throughout the day.
• Support gut health. Prioritizing prebiotics and probiotics can help support a healthy metabolism, making it easier for you to lose fat, says Landau. She recommends supporting your gut health through the consumption of a blend of fiber-rich whole foods, probiotics to nourish the gut bacteria, and prebiotics to support metabolic pathways.