Fat loss

Excerpts from a Yahoo article I read. A good reminder for me.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/fit-to-post-sports/might-sabotaging-fitness-program-part-1-075643621.html

2. Concern with weight loss and not fat loss.

Most clients come in with a "target weight". While being of the correct weight is ok, it is not nearly as important as being of a good level of body fat.

We try to get "regular" people with jobs, families and other commitments down to 10-12 percent fat for men, and 16-19 percent for women. For most people this means a nice flat stomach and probably visible abs.

A lady can be 57kg and 16 percent bodyfat and be in great health, but another lady who weighs 57kg at 35 percent fat is in horrible shape.

They may be the same height and the same weight, but their health markers will be very different. Overall inflammation, brain function, blood fats, etc, will be much improved at a low body fat level.

Women (sorry ladies, its just an observation, nothing personal!) in particular have trouble making the distinction between weight and fat. So the key point I like to teach is that (depending on which studies you read) a kilo of muscle burns an extra 100+ calories per day while you do ... nothing!

It is like investing your money in a sure-fire growth fund. It pays you back while you sleep (literally!). In addition it looks lean, feels firm and is attractive.

So, taking regular body fat readings is critical to success! It is a much more objective indicator than weight which fluctuates with time of day, hydration status (i.e. did you pee?), hormonal fluctuations especially in ladies, water retention from illness or allergy etc.