The Top 6 Diet and Fat Burning Myths
Myth # 1: If I just work my (insert body part here) enough, I will lose the fat in that spot.
Sorry folks, but there is no such thing as spot reducing. If you lose weight, you will lose it from all over your body; you cannot lose it in just one location, even if you use exercises or machines intended to target that spot.
So, what can you do? Go ahead and diet and work out. Losing weight across the board will help those problem areas. In addition, it does not hurt to exercise your problem spots as part of your whole body exercise routine. Tone muscles make you look leaner, regardless of whether you lose the fat. Combined with overall fat loss, toned muscles will help you look fit and firm.
Myth # 2: Weight training will make me bulky so I shouldn’t do it
Weight training is actually one of the best things you can do for your body if you are trying to lose fat. Basic weight training does not make muscles bulky. Instead, weight training makes muscles more tone and fit. In turn, these fit muscles help you to burn more fat. In addition, toned muscles look much better than fat and take up less space. So, by adding muscle and losing fat, you will be able to wear a smaller size.
But, what about those muscle-bound body builders? They spend hours and hours a day working a few muscle groups with very high amounts of weight. If you are doing weight resistance training with a weight at which you can do several repetitions, you are not going to add any bulk to your body. Still worried? Try starting a resistance routine using exercise bands or really light weights. The improvements you will see will quickly convince you of the benefits of weight training.
Myth # 3: When I exercise my body burns carbs first, then starts burning fat
Your body is always drawing energy from carbohydrates and from fat. Yes, the percentages that your body is burning of each source change as you exercise, but there is no magic time at which your body kicks in and burns only the fat. What really matters in both weight loss and fat burning is that your exercise enough to burn calories. Regardless of where those calories came from, if you keep exercising and keep burning more calories than you are consuming, you will lose weight and that weight will come from fat. Even if you do not burn fat during your exercise session, if you are using more calories than you eat, your body will start to burn fat when it needs to.
Myth # 4: If I exercise a lot, it will eventually suppress my hunger and make it easier to lose weight.
Sorry, if that were true it would actually be a lot easier to lose weight. For most people, exercise makes them feel hungrier. When you exercise, your body recognizes that you are using up a lot of calories. In response, it tells your brain to ask for more food to replace those calories and you get hungry. You can sate that hunger with healthy filling foods, but you need to be careful not to allow yourself to get too hungry or to fill up on unhealthy snacks and junk foods. That does not mean you should not get plenty of exercise; instead be prepared for the hunger that will accompany your new activity level with healthy, high fiber snacks like fruits and vegetables.
Myth # 5: The best way to lose fat is to just cut your calories dramatically
There is no question that your diet is an important part of losing weight. Weight loss is a function of eating less than the number of calories your body is consuming, so by consuming fewer calories you can lose weight. However, just losing weight will not improve your health, make your metabolism more efficient and make your body lean and tone; you need to get exercise to reap all of those benefits. In addition, reducing your food intake too dramatically can cause your body to go into conservation mode and you may lose weight even more slowly. Of course, just exercise alone does not work as well as eating a healthy portion-controlled diet. The best way to lose fat is to allow your diet and exercise program to work in conjunction for your health.
Myth #6 There is a magic weight loss pill
Okay, you know there isn’t a magic pill. At least, you were pretty sure there was no such thing despite your fondest fantasies. None of the weight loss drugs on the market will help you lose weight more effectively on a long-term basis than changing your eating and exercise habits to reduce your fat and calorie intake and to burn more calories on a daily basis. Even the weight loss drugs that have been credited with some successes are limited in their scope and often have negative side effects.
So, what should you do to lose weight?
Unfortunately, there is no quick fix for fat loss. Find an enjoyable, exercise routine and practice it religiously. Reduce calories in your diet by reducing portion sizes and reducing or eliminating refined sugars and unhealthy fats. In addition, you can make yourself feel full and undeprived by increasing the number of high fiber foods you eat. Most importantly, set attainable goals for yourself and stay the course; it is possible to lose weight, but it takes substantial time and effort.
