Weight Loss Myths
There are many myths around weight loss that can ultimately impede rather than help you reach and maintain a healthy weight.
The Myths
Food Eaten Late At Night is More Fattening
No way! Calories can’t tell the time! It’s not when you eat that is important, but the total amount you consume in a 24-hour period. Your body digests and uses calories the same way morning, noon and night. If you’re prone to skipping meals during the day then you are more likely to overeat at night-time.
Bananas are Bad for Weight Loss
Contrary to popular belief bananas are not fattening or bad for weight loss. Bananas offer an amazing fat-free package of natural energy, minerals, vitamins and dietary fibre.
The Less You Eat, The More Weight You’ll Lose
Wrong! When faced with starvation the human body conserves as much energy as possible, the metabolism slows and conserves fat to ensure your vital processes can keep functioning. Skipping meals will backfire as your body tries to conserve as much energy as possible, storing fat and using lean muscle tissue for energy. When you stop starving yourself, the body will quickly build up fat reserves in preparation for the next bout of starvation. The end result being that you’ll have replaced muscle with fat.
Carbs Make You Fat
Nope! Carbohydrates, per se, do not make you fat and generalisations that all carbs are bad is very misleading. Carbs are an important part of a healthy diet and provide the body with the fuel it needs for organ function and physical activity.
What is important is that not all carbs are created equal; you want to avoid processed carbs, and those that are high in sugar and white flour. Instead eat low GI complex carbs (wholegrains varieties of pasta, rice, bread and brown rice) that are metabolised slowly helping you feel full for longer and curbing your appetite.
You Can Eat What You Want So Long As You Exercise
Untrue! Effective weight loss is 80% what you eat and 20% how you exercise, so while exercise is an important component of getting fit and losing weight, on its own exercise is not a very effective weight loss tool.
Aging Slows Your Metabolism
It is true that people tend to put on weight as they get older but it isn’t as inevitable as you might think. As we mature we tend to exercise less, or with less intensity meaning fewer calories get burnt. Activities like walking and exercises that use the body’s own weight as resistance are great to combat age related weight gain.
Low Fat Milk has Less Calcium Than Full Fat
Wrong! Trim milk may actually have more calcium – did you know the calcium in milk is contained in the watery part not the creamy part. If you are trying to cut fat from your diet to assist with weight loss, then low fat milk is a great option because not only is it lower in fat, it is higher in calcium.
Energy Bars are Good for Weight Loss
Wrong! Energy bars are processed food that can sabotage a healthy eating plan because they are so easy for our body to absorb. Think of energy bars as partly digested food – they allow the digestive processes to laze about, conserve energy and encourage weight gain.
Good luck!
This article was written for Breastmates by Nic McCondach from http://www.losebabyweight.co.nz visit her website for recipes, exercise advice, weight loss plans, motivation and visit the Lose Baby Weight Facebook page at www.facebook.com/losebabyweight.co.nz
