The 3 Leading Weight-Loss Myths
by Cora Penafiel
(Philippines)
It is important for the body to maintain its shape since it reflects the personality of a person. Some people tend to insult others who are “big-bodied”; this can be terribly insulting to some people. For that reason it is beneficial for overweight people to lose weight, no matter how busy they are. Sadly, there are a lot of weight-loss plans out there that promise effective results but don’t deliver, and worse, cause even more weight gain.
A lot of weight-loss tips promise a safe, fast, and effective way to lose weight. Some of this advice is worth it since it is remarkably effective and proven to lose weight. However, most of the time, many people ignore most of what they read. There are also times you will notice fad diets being promoted, and these diets are the ones you undoubtedly should avoid since they generally don’t work.
Because a lot of useless diets are still promoted on the market, you should be extremely careful when choosing a diet of any kind. It is best not to try products that seem overhyped since these products are generally used as marketing techniques that promise results that are usually unrealistic. There are a lot of “myths” out there that are said to help you lose weight but do not.
One of the most common myths to watch out for is, according to some, you can spot reduction of fat on a particular part of the body. This can be incorrect, and any weight-loss expert will agree that eating healthy can be a tremendously prominent part of a weight-loss plan. There is no workout that lets you reduce fat in a particular part of the body.
For example, if you want to take away the fat in your belly, you would probably focus your exercise by doing leg lifts and stomach crunches, if you follow what the “myth” suggests. By doing just this exercise, you will actually notice your stomach fat will still remain the way it used to be, but you will also see that muscles in your abdomen grow. That’s why you will need to combine your exercise with a healthy diet plan. This way the metabolic rate of your body will constantly rise, and you will also see that the fat from your belly goes away in no time.
There was a certain study about the circumferences and fat deposits that are in the arms of high-profile tennis players. According to the researchers, if spot reduction truly worked, then the playing arm of a high-level tennis player should have considerably less fat compared to the arm that is not frequently used. However, this prediction was not the case because the circumference measured in the playing arms of the athletes was even greater because of the muscular development, which is common to a lot of athletes. According to skin fold-thickness measures, there was no difference in the fat deposition between the two arms.
Another myth you should look out for is, by cutting out the calories that you will take in, you can lose weight. This is also not true. This statement is used by a lot of people who are attempting to lose weight by means of crash dieting. Crash dieting is not recommended since it can be unsuitable for the body. By not eating food, your body will switch to a different metabolic state that you are not used to.
The metabolism of the body will become terribly slow and actually retain fat as a reserve, and instead it will start to burn your muscles. This is the survival instinct of man since the body protects itself from a lack of food that it has taken in by hoarding whatever calories it can find.
Typically, if you tend to gain even more weight, it is mainly because you consume more calories than your body can burn. It is the basic mathematics of weight gain. The math is, if you gain one pound for every 3,500 calories that you consume, then that is more than your body needs and can burn out. However, there are other factors that may also contribute to weight gain.
Since only your muscles will be actually reduced, through this diet, there is only a little amount of fat in your body that you will actually lose. And sadly, once you return to your previous eating habits, you then put on all the weight you have lost extremely quickly. You may actually gain a few extra pounds while your body is recovering. Sometimes the weight will come back in double folds.
Another common myth that people usually believe in is that cardiovascular exercise is enough to lose weight. It is true that having cardiovascular exercise is excellent to have and it will also help you lose weight. However, these exercises alone are not enough for you to lose weight. There are a lot of other exercise techniques you can try out that must also be included. You should include some swimming, Pilates, or even yoga in your exercises. If you follow a combination of cardiovascular exercise and all of the other exercises, there is a good chance you will significantly reduce your weight.
Another great way to burn fat, which you can add to your cardiovascular exercise, is weight training. By doing so, you will continue to burn fat even after your workout is complete. You can also try aerobic exercises. There are some studies that have shown that there are a lot of benefits you can get from aerobic exercises. Some of those benefits include better cardiac function, huge improvement of muscle health, significant lowering of blood pressure, and the reduction of stress. Some of the best among many aerobic exercises that will help you lose weight and remain fit at the same time include jogging, aerobics, walking, stair stepping, and elliptical training.
Although there are ineffective ways in losing weight out there, there are also weight-loss plans that can be particularly useful to have. You can search on the Internet or on magazines for weight-loss plans that will suit you. And if you truly want to lose weight in a fast and effective way, you should have the proper mindset that you truly want to lose weight. However, if you truly want something to happen with your figure, then you should be diligent in doing all of your exercises and adhering to your diet because losing weight will not only make you healthy, but it can also give you the confidence to show your body off without vain.
