Top 10 Weight Loss and Fitness Myths
“Lose 30 pounds in 30 days”
“Lose weight while eating whatever you want”
“Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight”
This and there are many more myths associated with weight loss. All weight loss tips are not useless, so it is better to know about weight loss myths and facts. Let’s see a few of them:
Myth # 1…Some fancy exercise machine-of-the-month burns more calories than any other exercise.
Fact - If you need to lose weight you need to lose calories. If you need to lose 1 pound a week, you need to burn at least 500 calories per day. For this you have to exercise daily.
Weight loss depends, not on ‘what you exercise’ but ‘how long you exercise’. The more you exercise the more calories are burnt and it does not depend on the machine. It all depends on the hard work you put in.
Myth # 2…Weight training with free weights is much more effective than with machines.
Fact– Both free weights and machines improve your general fitness and tone your muscles which increases your metabolism. So choose whichever you want. Only thing is that you should exercise consistently.
Myth # 3…Low intensity exercise puts you in the “fat burning zone” and is ideal for weight loss.
Fact – The mixture of carbohydrates and fat is calories. Whether you burn more carbohydrates and less fat or vise versa, the important factor for weight loss is the number of calories you burn.
Myth # 4…Exercising for 30 minutes, two to three times per week, is sufficient for weight loss.
Fact – Our body is suitable for daily exercises. About 30-60 minutes of daily aerobic exercise and strength training exercises three days a week is ideal for weight loss.
Myth # 5… You can lose fat from a specific part of your body by doing an exercise for that part of your body. For example, abdominal crunches will remove fat from your abdominal area.
Fact – Actually exercising helps you lose fat from your whole body. It is difficult to select and lose fat from a particular part of the body.
Myth # 6 – You can’t lose weight.
Fact – Weight loss cannot happen in a blink of an eye. It will take time. You should work towards it. Change your lifestyle and follow a pattern of balanced diet and consistent exercise, you will surely lose weight.
Myth #7 – You shouldn’t start weight training until you’ve lost most of the weight you want to lose because it will slow down your fat loss, or trap your fat in the muscle, or who knows what else.
Fact – Weight training increases your body metabolism and helps your body to burn more calories. You should start weight training immediately along with aerobic exercises.
Myth #8 – You burn more fat if you exercise on an empty stomach.
Fact – If you exercise on an empty stomach, you might feel weak and might not have the energy to exercise. It is better to have at least a glass of juice before you exercise.
Myth #9 – You should always do your weight training just before your aerobic exercise session because you burn more fat that way. I’ve even heard that you should weight train, eat two raw carrots, and then do your aerobic exercise.
Fact –You should both these exercises to lose weight. Actually it would be better to do weight training after aerobic, because your muscles will be warm and you can prevent injuries.
Myth #10 – You’ll burn more calories jogging a mile than walking a mile.
Fact –If you plan to walk 2 km in a day, you will surely cover that distance faster by jogging, and burn more calories for that particular time and distance.
Category: The Best Weight Loss Articles!