7 misconceptions about weight loss
Slimming diets have been a very often favored solution for years to get the body you want and look perfect for a special occasion. It is common to hear, especially from women, the need to lose a few sizes before the summer or the day of their wedding. However, some misconceptions prevent you from achieving the desired results .
It goes without saying that health is something that should not be put at risk, and when relying on people with little knowledge of sports, it is possible to be affected in the long term. So it's time to put those misconceptions to rest and learn how to get into the world of fitness and lose weight the healthy way .
7 Misconceptions About Weight Loss
Before you decide to start training to lose weight, hop on your treadmill for your daily cardio, or start intense weight training routines, here are some weight loss myths that only harm your health.
・Myth #1: The "miracle diets" that will help you lose fat in less than a month
When you search the internet for "quick weight loss", the first thing you'll find are thousands of demanding, demanding diets that claim to be miraculous, not to mention fat burners or sweat belts that trick you into thinking you'll drop a waistline in a week. It's time to stop relying on them and accept that their promises are not achievable, but are conversely, sometimes even, dangerous for your health.
You will usually be faced with programs that will make you spend money on products and nutritional guides that are not effective. You should know that when you lose weight in an accelerated way , you are more likely to suffer from the famous " yo-yo effect ", which consists of regaining the initial kilos, but even faster.
・Misconception n°2: The famous "Monodiet" diets
Basically, it's about creating a one-food diet because it's supposedly a way to detoxify your body and flush out harmful agents. After a while, you will be allowed to choose an additional ingredient which can be grapes, vegetables, apples or brown rice.
Make no mistake about it, the mono diet will not help you lose weight. You will no doubt notice that you will lose a few pounds, but most of the time you will just eliminate some of the water retention.
However, when you reintroduce other foods into your diet, you will regain all the pounds you lost because you previously ate an unbalanced and unhealthy diet. Be very careful with this style of weight loss diet, you may eventually start to see undesirable and dangerous results for your health.
・Misconception #3: Don't leave appetite suppressants out of the equation
Whether capsules, powders, drinks or cereal bars, there are many forms in which these appetite suppressants are sold. What they have in common is that they all claim to be completely healthy. Sure, many of them have the effect of suppressing your appetite for hours, but when you get hungry again, your appetite will be more excessive and that's when binge eating will kick in.
It is not a safe method for your health, and if you supplement it with an exercise routine such as weight lifting, it can be dangerous and contraindicated for your muscles.
・Misconception #4: Believing that certain foods are "good or bad"
Even some sports experts may have this belief, but the truth is that food is just that, it is neither good nor bad. The reality is that any ingredient consumed in excess will be harmful, regardless of its naturalness. This idea was introduced by some nutritionists who simply eliminated foods from your diet to help you lose weight.
For example, bread and starchy foods should not be completely eliminated from your diet, because they are the ones that give you the most satiety and release carbohydrates.
The same goes for salt, certain proteins and flours, all of which will have a positive effect on your health as long as you consume them correctly. Even in the world of fitness, none of these foods are eliminated from diets, on the contrary, they are its best allies.
・Misconception #5: Low Fat Products Are Best
In contrast, in supermarkets, you'll see shelves full of low-fat foods, 0% yogurts, sugar-free products, low-fat butter, and more. However, these are not always the healthiest foods, many of them contain a lot of chemicals and unnecessary agents.
Also, being less tasty and having less protein and fat will make you want to eat more, which is not the best choice for weight loss.
・Misconception #6: It's "healthy" to eat lots of fruit
If we were talking about vegetables, that would be a good statement, but in the case of fruits, they are natural foods that contain high levels of fructose. If you only eat this during the day, at the end of the day your sugar level will be the same as when you eat chocolate, cakes and other fruits.
The fruits highest in fructose are bananas, grapes, cherries and dates. So the next time you hear this, don't take it into consideration, it's best to eat one piece of fruit a day, most often as a snack before lunch, and a majority of vegetables.
・Misconception #7: Skip Meals to Enjoy a Good Feast
This is seen long before a wedding or other special celebration, where the bride will start to avoid lunches or dinners in order to "enjoy" the wedding dinner "without regrets". If you decide to skip a meal, you will eat more at the meal you will eat a few hours later.
Likewise, when you have a chaotic and uncontrolled diet, you contribute to weight gain and your hormones start to run wild, making it difficult for you to shed those extra pounds easily.
Finally, the ideal is to practice regular physical activity and follow a healthy diet by keeping yourself informed of the basics of a balanced diet or by consulting a nutritionist.
It is not necessary to do complex routines or to start an ultra restrictive diet: with a little daily cardio and a healthy and balanced diet without major deprivations and in the long term, you will be able to lose your superfluous kilos. Just be consistent and patient.
FAQs:
· What reasonable weight loss per month?
For healthy and lasting weight loss, it is recommended to aim for a decrease of 0.5 to 1 kilo per week, or about 2 to 4 kilos per month.
What time to weigh yourself?
It is advisable to always weigh yourself at the same time of day, preferably in the morning on an empty stomach and after going to the toilet.
· Why am I losing weight physically but not on the scale?
It is possible to physically lose weight while not losing weight on the scale because muscle is denser than fat. It is therefore important not to focus only on the number displayed by the scale, but also on the physical changes in the body.