Fat Loss vs Weight Loss: What's the Difference?

Nikkiey: I weighed 140 pounds when I first started my journey. I was skinny fat. I now, eight years later, weigh 150 pounds. I am 10 pounds heavier, yet I look completely different.

Hey guys, welcome to The WarriorBabe Show with Nikkiey Stott, co-founder and brand personality of WarriorBabe, where we talk about mindset, methodologies, and tactics that will help you lose body fat, build muscle, be strong, and feel insanely confident. I am your host, Nikkiey Stott, and welcome to episode number six, all about fat loss versus weight loss, the difference explained.

I am super stoked to speak to this topic. I've alluded to it in previous podcasts, that we were going to deep dive into it, because it warrants an entire podcast to explain this. So I'm going to explain the difference between weight loss and fat loss. And then I want you guys to leave this podcast knowing which one is better for you with the goal of wanting to achieve a more fit, toned look. Because one of them supports that, and the other one does not. Okay?

So this topic seems to be very confusing for a lot of people: weight loss versus fat loss. A lot of people only really speak to weight loss. Like, I want to lose weight, or all of these things that you see on the internet speak to weight loss. And a lot of people seem to think that they are the same thing, but they are actually very different. Some people do just seem to want to lose weight, but others want to lose fat, right? So depending on which one you're trying to achieve, you may be going about it all wrong.

So I want to deep dive into this. I want to give you guys clarity. I want to give you guys takeaways. I want to give you the whole methodology behind which one is going to support your goals and which one does not. So I'm going to clear everything up for you today. Okay?

So weight loss and fat loss, these two concepts are misunderstood. First of all, let's talk about weight loss. Weight loss refers to the decrease in overall body weight, which can be caused by a variety of factors, such as a reduction in muscle mass, water weight, or fat. Anybody can lose weight. Anybody can jump on to the newest crazed fad diet that's out there that's speaking to weight loss. And you're going to lose weight, because those are putting you into calorie deficits.

But this is the thing: you're going to lose a variety of different things. Like I just spoke to, you're going to lose muscle mass, you're going to lose water weight, you're going to lose fat, your organ sizes are going to get smaller. This is how I like to explain it: if you're just focusing on weight loss, you're going to become a skinnier, fatter version of yourself.

However, don't get me wrong. This goal is great for people that have 100 pounds or 50 pounds to lose. You've got to lose that weight before you can start really taking it to the next level and achieving that more fit, toned look for yourself. But along that way of losing weight, you're losing a little bit of everything. Okay? And that's what I mean.

This is what happened to me. That's how I can speak to it with experience. I was chubby. And then I focused on all of these things. I was very confused and overwhelmed, and I had no idea what I was doing at the beginning of my journey, as you guys have heard in podcast number one. But I became a skinnier, fatter version of myself by doing all of this.

Fat loss, on the other hand, you guys, specifically refers to a reduction in body fat. So all of the weight loss things I just spoke to, all the things that you could be following, calorie deficits, X, Y, and Z. If you're following a nutrition plan that supports fat loss, which in my experience, in my belief, in my methodology, is macronutrients, that's what's going to help you with fat loss. It's going to help you with a reduction in body fat.

What I mean by that is, when you're eating the right nutrients that support this, protein, fats and carbohydrates, and you're paying attention to that overall intake, you're going to decrease body fat. Most importantly, you're going to preserve the lean muscle that you have on your body, and while you're building more of it, you're going to hold on to that muscle. And you're going to decrease the body fat around that muscle, which is then going to lead to having a more fit, toned look, right? Toned is just exposing the muscle that you have on your body.

So broadly speaking, those are the two differences. Weight loss: cool, great. If you guys have a goal of losing 50 pounds or 100 pounds, you're going to lose a little bit of everything along that journey, though. Fat loss could be, once you do accomplish that goal, your next goal or that next level for you. Like, okay, let's focus on macronutrients. Let's focus on fat loss. I want to be a little more fit and toned. And you're going to have the reduction of body fat.

So let me deep dive a little bit further. It's possible to lose weight and fat at the same time. It's also possible to lose weight without losing fat, or to lose fat without losing weight.

For example, if you are following a weight loss program that focuses on reducing calorie intake, right, the calorie deficit that you will hear a lot about on the internet, and you're increasing your physical activity, you may experience a decrease in both weight and fat with this. And that is because calorie restriction, a calorie deficit, and increased physical activity can lead to a decrease in body weight and an increase in fat metabolism.

However, listen up, because this is you. If you're listening to this podcast, I know I'm attracting people that want to be more fit and toned. Therefore, if you are participating, and the majority of you probably are, or if you are looking to participate in a strength training program that helps you to build muscle, you may experience, and you will experience, an increase in muscle mass if you're doing it the right way. And that could offset, listen loud and clear, it could offset any weight loss and result in no change in weight.

I need you guys to understand this, especially if you're embarking on this journey, if you're getting into strength training, or maybe you're on a longer strength training journey, and you're so attached to the scale. If you are participating in a strength training program, if you are trying to build muscle, if you are doing it the right way, you are increasing muscle mass. This could offset any weight loss, and this could result in no weight change.

And what I mean by offsetting any weight loss is, you guys are probably stepping on the scale and you're like, why am I not losing any weight? Or you're seeing success stories of people with massive differences in their body composition, yet they've only lost three pounds. This is what's happening. This is because muscle is denser and heavier than fat. So an increase in muscle mass can cause an increase in overall body weight.

For example, you guys, I weighed 140 pounds when I first started my journey. I was skinny fat, as I alluded to. Now, eight years later, with the muscle mass I've built and put onto my body, I weigh 150 pounds. I am 10 pounds heavier, yet I look completely different. And this is because muscle is denser and heavier than fat. So an increase in muscle mass, to that example, can cause an increase in overall body weight, even if body fat is decreasing.

I hope a light bulb is going off. I really want you guys to understand this, because I'm going to dive into this in a second. But if you are only focused on the scale, and you're making the scale your bitch, and whatever number it says is affecting every single emotion you have towards your journey, you are missing out on the big picture. Okay? If you want to build muscle, it could offset any weight loss. So you may not see as much weight loss as you want to see when you're stepping on the scale. And that is because muscle is denser and heavier. So therefore, it could increase your overall body weight, aka the number that you see on the scale, even though you are decreasing body fat.

So when it comes to building muscle and changing the way your body looks, it is important to focus on improving body composition. Right? This is a big thing that I want to speak to, because a lot of you guys coming here want to build muscle, aka be more toned, and change the way your body looks. So it's important to focus on improving your body composition rather than just weight loss.

Body composition refers to the relative proportion of fat, muscle and bone in your body. Let me say that again so that it just sinks in. Body composition, improving your body composition, changing the way that your body looks, refers to the relative proportion of fat, muscle, and bone in your body.

So by increasing muscle mass and decreasing body fat, you improve your body composition, you change the way your body looks, you're building muscle, and you're achieving a leaner, more toned appearance. Okay? By improving your body composition, rather than just focusing on weight loss, when you're focusing on the relative proportion of fat, muscle, and bone in the body, you achieve a leaner, more toned appearance.

Like I spoke to when I first opened up this podcast: weight loss, a skinnier, fatter version of yourself. Fat loss, you're preserving the lean muscle that you have on your body. Remember what I said: body composition is the relative proportion of fat, muscle, and bone in your body. With weight loss, you're losing muscle. The number on the scale includes the muscle you have in your body. But when you're focusing just on weight loss, you're losing muscle too.

Body composition is going to help you achieve the leaner, more toned appearance, because the way that you're eating, the macronutrients, protein, is going to preserve the muscle that you have on your body. It's going to hold on to it. You may lose a little bit, but you're not going to lose as much as you would with weight loss. Okay? And then you're decreasing the body fat around it, meaning you're going to have that fit body. I'm painting this picture for you guys, I hope.

So now, while weight loss can be a useful indicator of progress, okay, weight loss can be a tool. That's it. It is literally just a tool. Weight loss meaning the number on the scale that you guys see. It can be a useful indicator of progress, but it's not always the best measurement of success when it comes to building muscle and improving your body composition.

Literally, you guys, like I said, if you are just focused on the number on the scale, you are missing out on the big picture if your ultimate goal is to build muscle and improve your body composition. And like I said, this is because muscle is denser and heavier than fat. So an increase in muscle mass can cause an increase in overall body weight, even if your body fat is decreasing. I just want to keep drilling this into your head.

Okay, so I hope light bulbs are going off. The scale does not matter. And listen to this, play this back, because you could be three weeks after listening to this podcast, four months after listening to this podcast, and you're down the rabbit hole of why isn't the scale moving as fast as I want it to, yet your goal is to build muscle. Well, guess what? It's going to offset the weight loss that you want to see. It could result in no weight loss at all. Yet you're still decreasing body fat, and you're still seeing a change in your body composition. You may, in a five-month span, have drastic changes in your body composition, yet have only lost three pounds. I just want to keep drilling this in. Okay.

Another way to explain it is how it's possible that you could weigh the same as or even more than somebody else. For example, I weigh 150 pounds. Maybe you weigh the same, yet I'm going to look more fit and more toned than you, because I have more muscle on my body. We're the same weight, we have a similar height, we have a similar frame, right? But I have a difference in body composition compared to you.

And relative to somebody else that you know, you could be 150 pounds, and you could be a little bit more fit than them, right? That's how you can literally be the same weight, similar height and frame, but you can look completely different because of the difference in your body composition. This is the difference in your personal relative proportion of fat, muscle and bone in your body next to the person that you're standing next to or thinking of. It's because I have more dense muscle than you. Or, the way you're envisioning it, if you are thinking of somebody else who weighs the same as you, but you look different, it's because you have more dense muscle than fat compared to them. Right?

So somebody could be 150 pounds and full of muscle. Somebody could be 150 pounds and overweight and skinny fat, right? Or different frames or different heights. Somebody at 5'6" and 150 pounds, versus somebody at 5'2" and 150 pounds, is going to be drastically different, right?

Hey, hey, I just want to drop a huge appreciation to you guys listening to the show. It means a lot. I hope you guys are enjoying it, and there's so much more to come. If you are enjoying it, hit the subscribe button. I'd appreciate that tons. And it would also help this podcast reach others who need to hear these messages too. Thanks so much, guys. Let's get back to the show.

So what I want to continue to drill in here is that the scale is not the only device that will tell you the whole story of your progress. Guys, how many of you are still hung up on the scale, right? You're seeing the way that your body looks and changes over time, you're taking pictures, but you're still getting discouraged if week by week you're not seeing the trends that you want to. You're like, oh, frick it, this isn't working. And you revert to everything else, right? So the scale isn't telling you the big picture. The scale is not the only device that's going to tell you the whole story of your progress. I think I've nailed that into your brain.

It is so important, so important, to track progress using a variety of different methods. This is what we do in WarriorBabe. There is not one single person who is just stuck on the scale. They know that there's a variety of methods out there that are going to paint a way bigger picture than just the scale.

And when I say a variety of methods, taking measurements is one. So let's say you took a measurement of your bicep, and in six months you took it again, and you've gained two inches on your bicep. Yet you step on the scale and you're the same weight. Well, there you go. You've gained muscle. And that's why it's offsetting any weight loss on the scale, because muscle is denser and heavier than fat. Okay.

Another thing, which is huge, is photos, guys. Side-by-side photos, like I've already alluded to. If you have a before picture and then an after picture six months apart, and the scale is only telling you you've lost three pounds, but there's a drastic difference between before and after, that's going to make you feel better than just seeing three pounds in six months or five months, right?

And then how your clothes fit. Your clothes fitting is huge. You could see a three-pound difference, yet your old clothes might not fit at all anymore. So these are such important methods that you need to start incorporating into your journey if you're trying to build muscle and change your body composition, because the scale is not going to support you. I'm just telling you that now. And maybe you know that, right? This is just drilling it home and putting better ways to track this into your strategy.

By using a combination of these methods, you get a way more accurate picture of your progress, and you can make sure you're on track with achieving your goals. Because somebody who's losing just three pounds in six months, if they're just focusing on the scale, could be like, oh my God, I'm not seeing the progress that I want to see, so I'm going to slash my calories even more. And this is just a spiral effect. It's really hard to accomplish your goals from that kind of position.

So you definitely want to make sure you're using a combination of these methods: measurements, photos, seeing how your clothes fit. All of those are so important outside of just focusing on the number on the scale. Weight loss can be a useful indicator of progress, right? Fat loss, in terms of body fat and stuff like that, is another great thing to focus on. But when I say weight loss and the scale can be a useful indicator of progress, it's not the full story. I just want to keep drilling that in.

All right. So those are the main differences between weight loss and fat loss. They're huge, drastically different, right? You see that now. I explained it, I've drilled it home. They're completely different concepts.

And it's also important, you guys, to remember that weight loss and fat loss goals should be individualized based on your specific needs and circumstances. Let's say, like I already spoke to, you need to lose 50 pounds. Awesome. Great. Lose the 50 pounds, and the next-level goal for you could be fat loss. What works for one person may not work for another, and it's important to find a healthy, sustainable approach that works for you.

And like I've already alluded to in previous podcasts, working with a professional to develop a personalized plan that takes into account your unique needs and goals is something that I would highly recommend. This is where I would recommend that you check out warriorbabe.com, specifically our VIP program. We have 30-plus expert coaches who work one-on-one with women just like you to achieve what we're speaking to today: fat loss, a more toned look. We specialize in all of those things. So definitely check that out. The link is in the description below.

But in conclusion, fluctuations in weight are normal. They don't always indicate changes in your body composition. So if you want body composition results and you're just focusing on the number on the scale, the number on the scale is not going to reflect that. You could become a skinnier, fatter version of yourself if you're just focusing on that. Weight fluctuations are not always going to indicate changes in your body composition. And body composition, what we spoke to, is the relative proportion of the muscle, the fat and the bone in your body, all of that jazz.

So if you've been working out regularly and eating a healthy diet, but the number on the scale isn't budging, don't get discouraged, guys. You may just be gaining muscle mass while losing body fat. The key to improving your appearance is to focus on increasing muscle mass and decreasing body fat. If your ultimate goal is to build muscle, that is your focus. And by doing this, you're going to improve your body composition and you're going to achieve a leaner, more toned appearance.

So I hope it's drilled into your brain and you understand the difference between these two things. Now you know which one to focus on. Weight loss, if you have 50-plus pounds to lose. Fat loss, if you want to take it to the next level and achieve that more toned look. So next time you step on the scale and you don't see the numbers going down, don't give up, guys. Keep at it. And soon you'll start to see changes in your body that are more significant than any change in weight could ever be.

All right, my friends. I hope this podcast helped you guys. If it did, screenshot it and share it to social media, IG preferably. Tag Nikkiey Stott, tag WarriorBabe. I would love to see how impactful this podcast is for you guys and how it's helping you. And especially if some things just blew your mind in this podcast today, light bulbs are flying, you're having aha moments, share that with me. I love seeing that feedback from you guys. And apply this. Right now you have this new mental frame around this and around your journey. So apply it. That's all I ask. Take action, apply it. I'll see you guys next time.

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