Myth Busters: Weight Loss Style
There are so many myths and half-truths about weight loss that you could probably lose weight just trying to write them all down, maybe not a lot of weight but a least a few calories. The following 7 are obviously not the only myths our there, but they seem to be the biggest and most often recited by, well almost everyone.
- Drinking water does not help you lose weight! If shock is your first reaction to this, join the club. Hearing that drinking water is a great way to lose weight is everywhere you turn. In defense of water you replace cans and cans of sodas with water you are bound to lose some weight, but not because of the water, but because you are lowering your caloric intake. Water is good for you and one of the best ways to stay hydrated during and after your workout. But if you have trouble getting in all the water you have been told is good for you have no fear, other liquids such as coffee (black) and green tea can keep you hydrated without adding any additional calories to your day.
- You don’t have to count calories. There are a lot of diets out there saying that you can eat all you want of one or maybe a few certain groups of food and you will lose weight, no need to count up those calories, just eat from those groups and you will be fine. BIG LIE. Calories are what make you fat, not a certain food, but calories. If your goal is to lose weight the only option you have to cut calories. In the game of weight loss most people overestimate how many calories they actual burn and underestimate how many calories they take in. Leading to not a lot of progress on their goal. Your best strategy is to keep a journal or log of what you are actually eating to get a better judge of how many calories you are actually taking in. There are great apps that will help you keep up with how many calories you burn while you work out.
- Eat 3 times a day with no snacks. As I stated in the Myth #2 calories are what really matters in achieving your weight loss goals. You can eat 3, 6, even 8 times a day as long as you are sticking within your caloric goal. The big thing here is to make sure that you never become too hungry. If that means you need to eat every 2 hours then you can have small low calorie meals/snacks that add up to your daily calorie goal.
- Carbs make you fat. Sure a lot of carbs, or anything for that matter, will make you fat, but the reality is that is the calories from the sugar and fat in carbs that is making you fat. The big flaw with most carbs is that they are processed so they lack the fiber that helps you feel full, so you are prone to eat more aka more calories.
- Cut out desserts. If you eat dessert every single night in the form of a pint of ice cream, 10 cookies, or a couple of slices of pie or cake, then yes cutting dessert out will but you on the weight loss trail, but again you are cutting out more calories so therefore you are bound to lose weight (are you sensing a theme here?). The real goal with desserts is to keep a small amount of them in your diet plan. In most cases just having a few bites of something sweet will curb your desire for more. And by allowing yourself to indulge in a dessert every now and then you are more likely to stay on your diet plan because you are not forcing yourself to miss out on something you really enjoy.
- Never eat at night (or a certain time at night). Calories have no idea what time you are eating them, just that they are getting eaten. Eating late at night might interfere with your sleep, but it is not making you fat. Bottom line eat when you feel you need too and just make sure you are watching your calories.
- Eat what you want just exercise. After 1-6 not sure you need much more convincing that anything you are told that doesn’t tell you, that to lose weight you have to lower your daily calories whether through exercise or by cutting back on eating/drinking them.
Not sure this was a mind blowing myth buster list once you realize that all the myths were busted by the simple fact that to lose weight you have to intake less calories and the best way to do that is with diet and exercise. Not a very glamorous advice but the best advice out there.
Where you shocked by any of these ideas being shocked? Do you have a favorite food log app or exercise app?