Commercial weight loss centers such as Jenny Craig, LA Weight Loss, and others have blurred the lines of weight loss. In fact, we shouldn't even be calling it weight loss, because the term weight also includes muscle. A better term is fat loss, because that is what we are all trying to lose. Body composition, the percentage of your weight that is fat vs. the percentage of your weight that is lean mass (or everything else that's not fat), is the best measurement tool for calculating a successful weight management program. Commercial weight loss centers measure success by the pounds on a scale, which can be misleading.

The true indicator of weight management is body composition. It is important to think in terms of fat loss as we do with body composition, than in terms of pounds on a scale. When a person loses 20 lbs on a conventional low calorie or restrictive calorie diet it is mostly lean body mass. The loss of this healthy tissue is extremely harmful. It slows down your metabolism, creates hormonal imbalances, compromises the immune system, and upsets the central nervous system.

The human body does not comprehend the concept of dieting; rather it only correctly perceives starvation. The first key to long-term weight management is to understand the difference between weight loss and fat loss. Here are a few facts to help you understand. Fat is stored energy, or your body's reserve fuel tank. However, when your body runs out of fuel on a low-calorie restrictive diet, the body does not tap in to its reserve energy stores. Rather, it quickly and efficiently converts healthy lean mass (muscle) into carbohydrate for the bodies immediate energy needs. Without enough fuel the body will actually feed upon itself, making restrictive, low calorie diets extremely dangerous.

Remember, fat requires oxygen to be burned. The quickest way to get oxygen into the body is by exercising. A fitness professional can help you maximize your body's ability to burn fat. Furthermore, a fitness professional knows that in order to be successful, weight management needs to be customized to each individual.

Personalization is the second key to your weight management success. Everyone is engineered genetically different. We all lead different lifestyles. We all have individual food preferences. In addition, calorie requirements vary from person to person. A fitness professional takes all those things into consideration when designing an effective weight management program.

The third key to weight management success is you. By taking the first step and making a commitment to live a healthier, more active lifestyle, you become the final link to long term weight management and fat loss success.