Did You Lose Body Fat or Muscle Mass?

Although dieters are quick to say they want to lose weight, most actually want to reduce stored body fat, which means you should be preserving as much muscle as possible to avoid becoming skinny fat. Lean muscle mass gives your body a firm appearance as well as burns stored fat. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. This mistakenly causes many dieters to launch a mega workout at the gym only to discover his or her body responds by increasing hunger hormone and retaining as much stored energy as possible. The amount of weight you lose when dieting does not determine if you will look skinny fat or firm and trim. Since your bathroom scale does not tell you where you lost weight, measuring your body fat can give you a more specific result that will likely be a much better indicator as to how successful your weight loss strategy actually is.

How to Avoid a Skinny Fat Appearance

During a pandemic, there are numerous emotional issues that could have led to unwanted weight gain. Whether you’re in the Quarantine 5, Quarantine 10 or Quarantine 15 club, try the proven tips listed below for burning unwanted fat deposits, such as:

• Drink More Water - Experts say it is best to drink a glass of water about 30 minutes before a meal. This keeps the water from diluting digestive juices. Moreover, drinking a glass about an hour after eating will aid your body’s absorption of important nutrients.
• Fast Between Meals - Studies suggest that fasting produces multiple benefits in addition to losing weight, including improvements in their metabolic health. Rather than trying to eat several small meals, participants ate normally but fasted longer between food intake.
• Think Before You Eat It - Ask yourself whether you are truly hungry or eating to fulfill another need, such as stress or boredom. Mindless eating is one of the quickest ways to consume more calories than you thought, which might explain why your clothes are feeling a bit snug.
• Front Load Your Meals - Researchers say that watching the clock for when to eat may be more important than watching calories. The American Heart Association endorses the principle that the timing of your meals and occasional fasting may help reduce your risk for chronic disease, such as impaired glucose metabolism or diabetes.
• Keep a Positive Mindset - A positive mindset can play a significant role in shedding pandemic pounds. Perpetual negative thoughts can quickly lead to self-defeating behaviors such as overeating and skipping your exercise routine. Manage your motivation to stop sabotaging your weight loss efforts.

In the grand scheme of things, having to self-quarantine and live life social distancing doesn’t sound in-sync with living a healthy lifestyle, but you have to prepare for your new normal. Adopting some better habits while sheltering at home is the quickest way to get your life back on track.

MRC Uses the Same Proven Techniques for Remote Support

Here at MRC, our weight loss coaches use the same motivational techniques to educate you about the barriers to losing weight and keeping it off. Whether you’re available for person-to-person counseling or need remote weight loss support, we can deliver engagement, guidance and support. Even if you add resistance exercises, shedding pounds too quickly can cause you to lose important muscle mass and may leave a lighter you with a skinny fat appearance. At Metabolic Research Center, we deliver the in-person or virtual support and encouragement for sustainable weight loss results. Virtual weight loss support from Metabolic Research Center can help you jump start your weight loss program while sheltering in place or in person where permitted by local regulations. Either way, you can expect the same personalized guidance in your private one-on-one sessions.