After years of stepping on the scales every morning, focusing on weight can be an easy fitness trap to fall into. Spark Fitness are here to debunk some common myths relating to weight loss, and uncover why we should be prioritising fat loss over weight loss.
Say goodbye to regular scales
The issue with obsessing over weight loss each time we step on the scales, is that the number we read through frightened fingers isn’t only measuring the amount of fat on our bodies, that number also includes water and muscle weight.
How to lose fat and maintain muscle
When we talk about muscle, we’re not talking about Arnold Schwarzenegger pecs. We’re talking about the essential muscle tissues that provide strength and agility whilst helping your body to control inflammation and regulate healthy blood sugar levels.
At Spark Fitness, our ultimate goal is to help clients lose fat and maintain or build muscle.
A combination of a wholefoods diet, cardiovascular exercise and strength training are the best way to lose fat and maintain muscle.
Now to address the dreaded ‘D’ word. No, a diet doesn’t mean eating salad and oatcakes for the rest of your life. When we talk about creating a tailored diet for fat loss, we mean creating a temporary calorie deficit that is based on minimally processed, whole foods that have a high nutrient density, are high in protein and also keep you satiated (so no need for sneaky trips to the snack cupboard at midnight).
Body Composition Analysis At Spark
So you’re interested in losing fat? We hate to break it to you, but fat loss simply cannot be mapped using a weighing scale.
But never fear, the Spark professionals are here. Whenever we get a new client that joins the Spark family on their fat loss journey, we offer them an in-depth body composition analysis to help them wave goodbye to their up-and-down relationship with their bathroom scales.
Body composition analysis involves looking at the bigger picture, including your overall percentage of body fat, bone density, total water and muscle mass. Results can be dramatically influenced by age, gender, activity level, genes, weight maintenance and calorie intake, but it can give us a great starting point and can help us shape your fitness program so that you are guaranteed to see results.
You’re probably wondering what we replace bathroom scales with, the answer is a segmental body composition monitor and a good old fashioned measuring tape! We typically measure chest, waist, hips, arms and legs. Forget stepping on the scales every morning, we recommend checking your measurements every other week once you have started on your new fat loss regime.