Weight loss and fat loss are not the same thing.

It is important to realise that fat loss and weight loss are not the same thing, and if you just just focus on loosing weight you may actually put yourself in a poorer position than when you started.

With a focus on weight loss, it is possible to loose weight while loosing minimal fat (increasing your percentage bodyfat.) One of the problems with this is that you reduce your muscle mass and reduce your metabolism without actually looking and feeling any better.

Compare this to a focus on loosing bodyfat (ideally without a big focus on what you weigh.) If you loose bodyfat while maintaining (or even better putting on some lean body mass) you will look and feel better, keep your metabolism high and decrease your percentage bodyfat.

With this in mind, your goal should never be weight loss, instead focus on losing fat while maintaining muscle. Remember it’s not what the scale says that really counts.

A recent study indicates that high protein diets appear to be the best option in relation to suppressing hunger. The study looked at how protein, fat and carbs effect the release of a hormone that stimulates appetite. The study found that fats suppress hunger poorly and while carbs initially reduce hunger,there is a rebound effect and hunger appears to come back to an even higher degree. Protein was found to offer the best results.

I wanted to put together a set of basic rules to follow to loose fat. In my research I found the 6 Pillars of Naked Nutrition from Mike Roussell, the author of Your Naked Nutrition Guide.

1. Eat five to six times a day.

2. Limit your consumption of sugars and processed foods.

3. Eat fruits and vegetables throughout the day.

4. Drink more water and cut out calorie-containing beverages (beer, soda, etc.).

5. Focus on consuming lean proteins throughout the day.

6. Save starch containing foods until after a workout or for breakfast.

If your eating pattern is based around these rules, you will be on your way to reaching your fat loss goals.