Body fat is the most energy-dense component in the human body. It weighs considerably less than protein (muscle) due to the fact that fat doesn't carry water. Fat protects your organs and helps them run smoothly. Body fat is a pure energy source that is easily and automatically stored by the body if you consume more calories than you burn daily.
Calories in Fat vs. Muscle
One pound of body fat equals 3,500 calories. That is about six times the calories in one pound of muscle. Fat can be carried by the body easier to supply energy whenever you might need it, but getting rid of a pound of fat vs. a pound of muscle requires much greater energy expenditure.
Burn Fat, Not Muscle
An individual looking to rid himself of a pound of fat needs to burn 3,500 calories more than he consumes. To lose one pound of fat and not lose lean tissue (muscle), you must have a delicate balance in your diet and exercise regimen. According to sports performance enhancement expert Kelly Baggett, the secret is cardiovascular exercise to burn calories along with a high-protein and low-sugar diet. He also recommends rest periods, as overworking muscles will result in lean tissue loss.
Time Frame
Burning an extra 3,500 calories a week is not as difficult as it might sound. Yes, consuming it is much easier, but cutting it out is just a matter of self-control. Losing a pound of fat can be as simple as eating 500 fewer calories a day than you burn. This does not mean you have to starve yourself; just move around more to burn an extra 500 calories a day. After one week, a pound of fat will be gone.
Considerations
More than 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise a day is necessary when it comes to burning stored fat deposits. During the first 20 minutes of exercise, the human body is running on the energy from the carbohydrates consumed throughout the day. After the initial 20 minutes, the body then turns to the fat stores and converts them into usable energy.
Considerations
While starvation might result in quick fat loss, it is useful to know that weight quickly lost through severe caloric restriction is rapidly gained back once you start eating normally. This is a result of the body going into "starvation mode," which means the metabolism slows down significantly and instead of automatically converting food into energy, the body automatically turns it into fat for energy conservation.
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