If you’re anything like the average person, you probably want to know as soon as possible how quickly you can expect to see results from your weight loss efforts. Concurrently, you may wonder how much of your weight loss is water or muscle loss versus fat.

Stages of weight loss, the distinction between weight loss and fat loss, and strategies for maintaining weight loss are discussed.

Fat loss occurs in stages.

There are typically two phases to a person’s weight loss journey: an initial, rapid period of weight loss followed by a slower, longer period of weight loss.

Losing Weight Quickly: Stage I

Most of your weight reduction and subsequent improvements in your appearance and clothing size will occur during the first phase of your weight loss journey. Typically, this occurs between weeks 4 and 6.
Carbohydrate stores, protein stores, water weight, and body fat are the primary sources of weight reduction during this phase.

People who adhere to a low-carb or ketogenic diet often experience rapid weight reduction because their glycogen and adipose stores are depleted more quickly than they are on a low-fat diet.
The research is still mixed on whether a low carb or keto diet is better than a low-fat diet in the long run for overall weight loss.

Your rate of weight loss may also be affected by factors besides diet, such as your age, sex, starting weight, and level of physical activity.

Some of the weight reduction by the elderly may be muscle, but men typically shed pounds more rapidly than women do and the elderly may shed pounds more quickly than their younger counterparts.
However, if you start at a heavier weight and increase your exercise, you can expect to see results more quickly.

Moderate Weight Loss: Stage II

When you reach the second stage of your diet, which typically lasts anywhere from 6 months to a year, your weight reduction will slow considerably, but you’ll start to see results primarily from your body fat.
A weight reduction plateau is a period of time during which you lose fewer than a certain amount of weight.

When your metabolism and the number of calories you burn during exercise slow due to metabolic adaptations, you may hit a weight-loss plateau (8Trusted Source).

Weight loss plateaus are common because many diets are too restrictive and difficult to follow.

It’s crucial to find a diet plan that works with your routine and tastes so that you can maintain it for the long haul. Regardless of the case, you will probably need to make some dietary and lifestyle changes over time in order to achieve your objective.

Body fat loss vs weight loss: Stage III

It’s important to distinguish between “weight loss” and “fat loss,” though the two terms are often used interchangeably. The term “weight loss” describes a reduction in the amount of fat, protein, water, and carbs that the body has stored.

On the flip side, shedding pounds of fat is what we call “fat loss.”

Fat loss is preferable to weight reduction because the latter can be caused by the loss of muscle mass in addition to water. To keep your blood sugar stable, your inflammation under control, and your mobility as you age, muscle preservation is crucial.

While a regular scale can’t tell the difference between water and fat loss, eating more protein and working up a calorie deficit through increased exercise and dietary reductions both improves the odds that the lost weight will be fat rather than muscle.

In other words, losing fat always results in weight loss, but weight reduction doesn’t always mean you’ve shed fat. The focus on fat loss rather than muscle or water loss makes it a more beneficial objective.

Strategies for weight loss

Evidence supporting diets as a means of long-term weight loss is weak at best. An older meta-analysis of 29 studies found that dieters gained back more than 80% of their weight loss by year 5 after stopping their weight-loss efforts.

These numbers, however, shouldn’t discourage you from making dietary and weight loss changes to better your health and confidence. Also, diets only work if they help you form habits that will last.
These dietary and lifestyle changes may help you maintain your weight reduction and avoid regaining the weight you lost Keep tabs on your habits by doing things like keeping a food and exercise journal. Keeping a food and exercise journal can help you become more aware of how your choices affect your efforts to lose weight.

Do something that brings you joy. Physical activity can be anything from riding a bike or walking to swimming or taking the stairs or even just playing outside with your kids. Find something you really like doing, and do it frequently.

Keep fresh produce and other nutritious foods on hand. If fresh fruits and vegetables are more accessible in your home than processed snacks like chips and soda, you’ll be forced to eat healthfully.

Get enough shut-eye and manage the stressors in your life that are within your control. Not getting enough sleep and dealing with other stresses in life can prevent you from losing weight. Create a routine that allows you to get enough rest and look into strategies to reduce your stress about events beyond your control.

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Select foods that are whole and minimally processed, like fresh produce, grains, and lean proteins. The nutrients in these foods can aid in weight loss and general health by keeping you feeling full for longer.

Conclusion

As a rule, the first phase of weight loss is when you see the most dramatic results in terms of your appearance. In the second phase of weight loss, you shed pounds at a more leisurely pace, but the fat you lose outweighs the water weight, carbohydrate stores, and protein stores. When it comes to losing weight, the most crucial factors are establishing long-term, healthy eating and exercise routines that you will stick to.