When you set out on your weight-loss journey, you’re eager to see quick results. After all, you’re dying to try out the new pair of jeans you just bought! So you need to lose weight, and the sooner that happens, the better. Much as you might want to hear it, we have to tell you, losing a lot of weight overnight just isn’t possible. Of course, there are people whom you’ll see lose weight faster than you do. That said, losing weight does call for you to make wise choices and remain patient.
Here, we’ll bust a few common myths pertaining to weight loss. When you embark on your weight-loss journey, make sure that you don’t get influenced by these common myths. You may feel de-motivated when you don’t see your expectations come true. How could they? They are myths after all.
Popular Weight Loss Myths
Let’s look into the top 10 weight loss myths so you are aware of them. It’ll make sure that you harbor no unrealistic expectations.
Avoiding carbs helps you slim fast
A favorite crash diet people take recourse to hoping to lose weight is ditching carbs completely. Those planning to lose weight often treat carbs as a villain incorrectly assuming that they add weight. We tell you, it’s a completely wrong. Mumbai based Dietitian Ms. Geetanjali says that by leaving out carbs altogether from your diet, you may end up gaining weight as you miss out on filling fiber. It has been proved that carbs can help you slim down.
Losing fat is losing weight
You feel super excited when you see a major drop in your weighing scales occurring overnight. We’re sorry, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re losing fat. What you are shedding is actually water weight—the water present around tissues, in cavities between body cells, and joints, points out Abbey Sharp, RD, and the owner of Abbey’s Kitchen. The weight you are losing is therefore different from body fat that has nothing to do with the calories you consume or use. If you notice a rise in water weight, it may have been caused by consuming excess sodium or changing hormones. You may lose it quickly by exercising or drinking plenty of water.
Juice Cleanse helps you lose weight fast
There’s a widespread misconception that juice cleanses help you lose weight quickly while making you detox as well. Hear it from us, it’s far from true. You may well be reducing calorie intake, but you are still consuming a lot of liquid sugar which may trigger a rise in blood sugar causing weight gain. Moreover, depriving yourself of food can never be good for you. Nutritionist Ilyse Schapiro, MS, RD, CDN, notes that when your body doesn’t know when the next meal is coming, it goes into conservation mode. Scharpio goes on to caution us that cutting calories does bring about weight loss, but overdoing it may have the opposite effect. This is how juice cleanses affect your body.
You can lose weight through supplements
Weight loss supplements are big business. Studies reveal that despite the tall claims made by various companies, weight supplements are seldom effective. Supplements prove effective for some people only because of the placebo effect. You are actually falling for the advertising blitz when you buy a supplement hoping that it’ll help you lose weight. They only make you more conscious of the food you are eating. That said, there are a few supplements that do have some effect on weight loss. Only the best ones help you shed a few kilos over many months.
Move more and eat less
Body fat is nothing but stored energy. If you are to lose fat, the calories you burn should be more than the calories you consume. This is what makes it seem logical that you would lose weight if you were to move more and eat less. This advice may only work in theory, more so if you bring about a permanent change in your lifestyle.
However, it’s very poor advice for those suffering from serious weight issues. Owing to physiological and biochemical factors, most people end up regaining any weight they might have lost after following this advice. You’ll need to bring about a complete transformation in behavior and perspective coupled with diet and exercise if you are serious about losing weight. Simply cutting down on food intake and getting more active doesn’t help.
You can focus on trouble spots
The tummy fat may be bothering you a lot. Fitting into those pants every day is a pain! You want to get rid of your tummy fat double quick. Unfortunately, it’s not possible doing so. You can certainly succeed in overall weight loss with the right diet and exercising. However, you just can’t tell which part of your body will shed the fat. Each human body is unique. Your diet won’t help you lose fat from specific regions in your body. That simply doesn’t happen.
It’s possible to sweat out fat
You may turn to steam rooms and saunas hoping to see quick results in your weight loss efforts. You may well notice a dip in the scales, but sadly, what you’re losing is only water weight. You’ll add that weight back in no time after having a salty meal or some wine. Besides, being in a heated environment raising your body temperature several notches for a long duration poses risks. We strongly suggest that you consult your doctor before deciding to walk into a sauna or a steam room.
You’ll regain all the weight you lose
An old weight loss saying goes that the quicker you lose weight, the quicker you’ll regain it. We tell you, that’s not how things pan out always. You may lose a few pounds quickly by losing water weight which you may regain easily. However, when you genuinely lose weight, the process is unique to you. There are people who can lose weight really fast with even the slightest of changes. What’s more, by being consistent, they can keep the weight off as well. That said, there’s no reason to be dejected by a short span of success. By sticking to good habits, you’ll be able to keep the weight off.
You must have your breakfast
It has been revealed in studies that those skipping breakfast weigh more than those who have it every day. This might well be because people having their breakfast regularly have a healthier lifestyle. A study conducted on 309 adults over 4 months found that having or skipping breakfast had no bearing on the person’s weight. The belief that breakfast boosts your metabolism is no more than a myth as is the belief that having multiple meals at small gaps all through the day helps you burn more calories. The best strategy is to eat when you are hungry till you are full.
Obese people are unhealthy while the thin are healthy
Obesity does indeed raise the risk of some ailments like type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, or even some cancers. Still, many obese people have been found to be metabolically healthy. On the other hand, thin people have been found to be afflicted by the same chronic ailments we have mentioned here. The bottom line is– it’s having fat in your abdominal area that puts you at a greater risk of getting metabolic diseases.
Conclusion
You’ll lose weight only with the right combination of a healthy diet and exercises. Ignore the beliefs and techniques we have mentioned above as they are no more than myths. Don’t be taken in by these ‘mantras’ you’ll often hear people share with you. Stick to a balanced eating habit and regular activity to see proper results.