Unless you have been lucky enough to inherit high metabolism genes, you are most likely struggling to manage your weight. It can be tempting to try new diet fads in an attempt to escape your daily fitness and diet routine.
While everything can be eaten in moderation without drastically affecting your weight, there are no shortcuts to staying fit and healthy. A balanced diet and a consistent exercise routine are important to effectively manage your weight paired with not believing the common weight loss myths, which can get in the way of your success.
A popular weight loss myth is that fasting helps you lose weight. Fasting, or restricting yourself to certain foods, is probably the worst way to lose weight. Your body needs a healthy balance of nutrients from different sources of food including dairy, protein, fruits and vegetables. When fasting, you are depriving your body of essential nutrients, causing it to function below optimal levels. The first few days of fasting go well because your body starts breaking down fat for energy. Stored fat is not enough to provide your body the nutrients it needs to function properly and thus, it starts affecting your concentration levels and causes low blood sugar. Essentially your body goes into starvation mode and you react by eating more than usual. As a result, you regain any weight you may have lost, negating the effort you put in.
Not snacking between meals is also one of the popular weight loss myths. Controlling your appetite is important if you are trying to lose weight. When you consume three large meals in a day, your stomach expands to accommodate the food. Eating smaller portions throughout the day adjusts your stomach accordingly. This way of dieting allows you to stay full the entire day, so you are less likely to overeat. Being hungry for hours at a time leads us to eating unhealthy snacks in larger quantities. Make healthier choices when choosing what to snack on. Fruits or vegetables are always the better choice, and contain lots of fiber and nutrients.
Healthy eating and regular exercise for weight loss is in part a myth as well. While both of these habits are great to have, you must always switch things up. Our bodies grow accustomed to our regular routines and therefore a plateau effect occurs, halting your progress and remaining stagnant. You consistently need to change your eating habits and exercise routines to keep you body always guessing.
As we age, our metabolic rates drop which means what you were able to eat before without gaining weight will now add inches to your waist. Digestion also slows with age. Incorporating fiber is important for aiding digestion. While you need to put in more effort for losing weight as you age, be cautious when exercising because your bones and muscles lose strength over time.
The most common of all weight loss myths is that diet pills alone can help you lose weight. While these pills may temporarily boost your energy levels and metabolism, it is not a long-term solution. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. This means you need to have a good combination of healthy eating and regular exercise.
Weight loss myths may be hindering you from reaching your personal fitness goals as well as can keep you from putting in the effort required to lose weight. There are no short cuts for a healthy lifestyle, it takes time and effort to be at your full potential.
