Weight Loss Myths
Every regime has its supply of useless folk lore and half-truths that
get passed on down the line from person to person. But I'd put weight
loss up against any of them for what has to be the most time wasting
and even the most dangerous myths out there.
There is a ton of free advice seen in the media these days and
if it is taken seriously, can really set you back on your weight
loss endeavours. This can
lead to the kind of frustration that makes people think they are
"destined to remain fat for life”.
This in not true, Have a look at the Weight loss myths below and
draw your own conclusions.
Exercise on an empty stomach and burn more fat
Effective weight loss is the total amount of calories
burned during the day, not how or why they were burned.
It doesn't matter if it is night or morning, so exercise
early in the day has no advantage to exercise later in
the day.
Studies show that increased metabolism induced by anaerobic
exercise is actually less after a large meal. Which probably
means that more energy is being used for digestion than
what is being used to repair muscle.
More exercise is better
Every exercise session is beneficial to each individual,
however more is not always better. It depends on what is
trying to be achieved. There is a level and frequency
required to achieve results.
After this level is reached, additional exercise can
have the opposite effect, not allowing the body to
recuperate and adapt to the stress induced by the
exercise, which can be detrimental to your results.
After stopping exercise muscle will turn to fat
This in not possible, Muscle and fat are two different
types of tissues in the body and you cannot convert one into the
other. This is like trying to turn water into milk.
If you stop training, the muscles will shrink
in size - and do not disappear. The more calories
taken in that are not burned off will be deposited as fat.
If you’re not sweating, you’re not working hard
enough
Sweating is the body's way of cooling itself down.
Many factors contribute to body temperature, including
room temperature, types of exercise done, body-fat levels,
clothing, and exercise intensity. The intensity for
exercise can't be judged by the amount you sweat.
A well-trained person will often sweat a lot because
their body can more efficiently regulate heat.
Taking sugar before exercise to raise energy levels
Ingestion of sugar will lead to a rapid rise in blood
sugar levels. This rapid rise stimulates a release of
insulin, which quickly removes the excess sugar from
the blood system, often causing your blood sugar levels
to drop, sometimes below the level that it started at,
leading to faster exhaustion.
Gaining weight is just a part of getting older
Getting older is not an excuse for gaining weight!
As we age and begin a more sedentary lifestyle we
start to lose muscle mass.
The efficiency of your metabolism is directly linked
to how much muscle you have on your body. The most
efficient way of maintaining your body's muscle mass
and keeping your metabolism from dropping, is by
doing a high intensity strength training workout once a week.
X is the best form of exercise
Claims like this are usually based on marketing strategy
and personal bias. Even when claims are based on factual
information, they have little practical value to the
average exerciser. The most important thing is to choose
an activity that you like, and perform it properly and
consistently.
If it’s fat free I can have as much as I want
Unfortunately fat free doesn't mean calorie free.
The word fat free is misleading because if you
overeat on anything, even fat free foods and you
don't burn off those calories, your body will
store the excess as fat.
Don't drink water when you exercise or you will get cramps
By drinking litres of icy cold water in one go while
exercising you will probably suffer from cramps.
This is why it is important to drink water
continuously before, during and after exercising
to replace the fluid you've lost and avoid any discomfort.
By not having a personal trainer I wont make gains
Hiring a personal trainer is one way you can use to
reach your goals, but you are an adult capable of
making decisions and setting your own goals once
you have the knowledge of how to go about it.
Following a good exercise program and eating
plan does not require someone standing over
you and telling you how to do it.
By exercising my abs I will lose my pot belly
Exercising your abdominals will help to tone and
firm the abdominal region, but it will not reduce
fat deposits that are responsible for a pot belly.
Fat reduction comes from burning more calories
than you take in. Fat is reduced uniformly throughout
the body there is no such thing as spot reduction.
