5 (Science-Backed) Ways to Lose Fat, Not Just Weight

Losing weight comes down to math, right? You need to consume fewer calories than you expend during the day. Therefore, creating the so-called “caloric deficit” is recommended as a tactic to lose weight.

But even if the number on the scale goes down, it doesn’t mean your fat ratio has gone down.

Your body weight is made up of seven different things: muscle, bone, organs, fluids (including blood), body fat, waste (the “number 2” you haven’t eliminated yet), and excess glycogen (the unused by-product of carbohydrates that you store in your liver and muscles as additional fuel). Most of the time, when the number on the scale changes, it’s due to fluctuations in the amount of water, glycogen, and waste in your body, which change from hour to hour and day to day.

Losing body fat does take longer, but there are proven methods (besides eating right) to get there!

HOW TO LOSE FAT AND NOT JUST WEIGHT (ACCORDING TO SCIENCE)

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1

Be sure to exercise (obvious, right? But we explain better below)

Your body fat can play a beneficial role in weight loss. White fat stores extra energy and can contribute to obesity, while brown fat actually burns calories. It contains more mitochondria (the parts of cells that generate heat) and is able to burn more calories when you’re at rest.

But not all adults have both types: A 2021 study of more than 52,000 people found that only 10% of participants had brown fat.

Exercise is one of the easiest ways to increase the proportion of any brown fat you have. scientists from Harvard’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute found that working out releases a hormone called irisin, which helps convert white fat to brown. Consider exercising for half an hour at least five days a week.

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two

Take a vitamin D supplement

Taking vitamin D daily can be a beneficial strategy for losing fat. A small study at the University of Minnesota found that people who started a weight loss program with higher levels of vitamin D lost more weight than those who had “insufficient” levels of the nutrient. Other research suggests that vitamin D appears to increase the effectiveness of leptin, a hormone that signals the brain that you are full. Since few foods naturally contain vitamin D, consult a nutritionist to see if you need to supplement.

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3

Stand up!

The very physical act of sitting or lying down can accelerate your body’s production of fat, according to research published in the American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology. When you lounge on a couch or chair for long periods of time, you exert forces on your cells that cause them to stretch and may increase fat production, according to researchers.

During work, get up and walk around for five minutes at least once an hour. Just standing – even if you’re not moving – uses significantly more muscle than sitting.

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4

drink green tea

A review of studies concluded that drinking green tea regularly can help you lose weight, thanks to EGCG, a compound known to reduce fat absorption. It also increases the amount of fat your body eliminates. So, think about swapping your usual afternoon coffee for green tea.

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5

Don’t get hung up on the genes

There are over 30 genes that can affect body mass index. But having a genetic variation doesn’t mean you’re destined to be overweight.

A British review found that exercise can trump your genetics: physically active people (who did an hour or more of moderate to vigorous exercise a week) with a genetic variation linked to obesity are 27% less likely to become obese than people less active that also have the gene.