Losing weight is one of the key goals of a fitness program, and a fortunate by-product of some others that focus on strength training or flexibility instead. But weight loss is more complicated than simply reducing your body fat. Body composition, which refers to the proportion of fat, protein, minerals and water in your body, dictates which type and degree of weight loss is healthy.
Benefits
The benefits of weight loss come primarily from a reduction of body fat. According to the University of New Mexico, too much body fat can cause hypertension, diabetes, respiratory ailments, cardiovascular disease and joint problems. Weight loss can cut many of these risk factors down significantly. Reducing body fat will also improve your body's appearance and may make daily tasks easier to complete by extending your range of motion and reducing the resistance that comes from your body's own weight.
Types
Not all weight loss involves a reduction in body fat. For example, muscle atrophy can occur following extended periods of inactivity. In addition, bone density has a tendency do decrease with age, especially in women. Dehydration can also reduce your weight due to the lack of water in your body. These are unhealthy forms of weight loss, and they are the reason that body composition, measured as a body mass index or body fat percentage, is more important than weight alone.
Methods
The only way to lose weight by reducing body fat is to burn more calories than you consume. For most people, this means a combination of a low-calorie diet and an increase in physical activity. Extended-duration exercises that increase your heart rate are the best at burning fat. This is known as aerobic exercise and it can come from activities, including swimming, dancing, bicycling, running and walking, as well as mindful movement exercises, such as yoga, tai chi and Pilates.
Considerations
In some cases, a healthful approach to fitness may actually involve gaining weight. This is the case with a fitness program that builds muscle, adding to overall body mass but without adding fat. This type of exercise, known as strength training, involves shorter workouts at a higher level of intensity. While they do less to burn calories, they do produce new muscle tissue, which will burn more calories even at rest than other types of tissue.
Warning
Weight loss is a gradual process that requires you to exercise regularly and modify your diet for the long term. Commercial exercise programs that promise fast results or weight loss with very little exercise are usually based on manipulations of medical facts or outright impossible claims. If you plan to change your diet or activity level dramatically, consult a doctor, trainer or nutritionist to make sure you don't subject your body to a potentially harmful change too quickly.
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