A large number of people in our gyms come to workout with the goal of losing weight. To help you be as successful as possible on your way to the desired weight, we have singled out 6 myths about weight loss that do more damage than help.
1. Not eating before a workout will help you lose weight
While there is some research to support the benefits of fasting before exercise, this does not necessarily mean that this regimen is ideal. When you exercise on an empty stomach, you can burn valuable energy sources and be less resilient. Low blood sugar can also create a feeling of fainting, nausea or shivering.
Another option is for your body to adjust to the continuous use of fat for energy and start storing more fat than usual. That is why it is good to eat a light meal before training, which will give you enough energy for quality training.
2. Avoid carbs if you want to lose weight
The fact is that carbohydrates do not make you fat, but the problem is sugars and excess calories.
Every food will create a problem if you eat too much of it. Not all foods that contain carbohydrates have the same calorie saturation. This myth survives as true because many people who eat a lot of refined carbohydrates and sugars lose weight when they eat less of such foods. But weight loss is not there because they have stopped eating all the carbs, but because they have reduced their high-calorie food intake.
It is important to maintain a balanced diet and provide the body with enough protein, carbohydrates, fats and fiber, but watch out for calorie deficit if you aim to lose weight.
3. It is possible to spot reduce fat
Losing fat on one part of the body has been a refuted concept for a long time. The general theory is that performing certain exercises will reduce fat in certain specific parts of the body. For example, lifting your legs will reduce the fat deposits around your hips and thighs, or performing abdominal exercises will help you get flat abs and so on.
To lose fat, you need to burn more calories than you ingest. When you do this, you create a calorie deficit due to which your body uses the energy stored in the cells in the form of fat. As a result, the body begins to lose weight because it stores less fat.
So while targeting certain areas of the body during exercise can be effective for building muscle and shaping those areas, it won’t necessarily help you lose fat in that particular area. Instead, you will need to adjust your overall diet to reduce the amount of stored fat and increase your activity level to try to burn fat that is already stored throughout your body.
4. Supplements greatly help with weight loss
The weight loss supplement industry is huge. Various companies claim that their supplements have dramatic effects, but they are rarely very effective when studied in more detail. The main reason why supplements work in some people is the placebo effect. People fall for marketing tactics and want supplements to help them lose weight, so they become more aware of what they are eating.
The great success of weight loss supplements can be attributed to the desire of many people for a quick solution and instantly visible results. The reality of losing weight and creating the desired look is a bit more complicated and requires a change of lifestyle and gradual work on yourself.
5. For better results, train every day
Some people in the fitness world preach a “no days off” mentality. But experts say exercising every day can actually do more harm than good.
The fact is that you need rest days for healthy progress. It takes 24 to 72 hours for the body to recover from training – and then “progress” actually happens. If you continue to train during these time periods, the risk of injury or overtraining increases. Especially if you are a beginner in exercise or you are at the beginning of your fitness journey and you are not in full shape yet. Too much pain and soreness caused by intense workouts can diminish your willpower and motivation to exercise.
6. You should only exercise to lose weight
We often hear things like ‘I have to start exercising to lose excess weight’, but this attitude towards exercising and training actually creates a bad attitude towards physical activity. If we look at exercise as an obligation we don’t like or a punishment for eating too much food, we will very easily lose motivation and willingness to exercise.
Find the form of exercise that suits you best and look at training as a time for yourself. Exercising has many more benefits than just physical progress – it improves mental health, lifts your mood, creates healthy habits and allows you to progress and show yourself that you cando it!
Come to your nearest Gyms4You gym and get moving!
Your Gyms4you team
