5 Weight Loss Myths

With all the “knowledgable” people out there in the world of health and fitness, you come across some ideas that sound like they make a little sense.  But when you really do your research, you find out that some of these “good ideas” can be outright dangerous.  Here are what I beleive are the five most common weight loss myths out there today.  Maybe you have been dooped by one of these ideas before…I know I have.  But that is why I am writing this.  I want you to have the greatest opportunity possible to succeed, and hopefully this information will de-bunk any misleadings out there.

Myth #1: Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.

Fact: Studies show that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day tend to be heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast and eat four or five times a day. This may be because people who skip meals tend to feel hungrier later on, and eat more than they normally would. It may also be that eating many small meals throughout the day helps people control their appetites. I know it helps me.  I eat every 2-3 hours.

Tip: Eat small meals throughout the day that include a variety of healthy, low-fat, low-calorie foods.  My breakfast, lunch and dinner meals range from 400-450 calories, while my snack meals range from 200-250 calories.  Hopefully that gives you a better idea of how much to consume.  These numbers are based on My 1900 Calorie Diet.

Myth #2: Low-fat or nonfat means low calories.

Fact: A low-fat or nonfat food is often lower in calories than the same size portion of the full-fat product. But many processed low-fat or nonfat foods have just as many calories as the full-fat version of the same food or even more calories. They may contain added sugar, flour, or starch thickeners to improve flavor and texture after fat is removed. These ingredients add calories and set you back.

Tip: Read the Nutrition Facts Label on a food package to find out how many calories are in a serving. Check the serving size too it may be less than you are used to eating.

Myth #3: Fad diets work for permanent weight loss.

Fact: Fad diets are not the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Fad diets often promise quick weight loss or tell you to cut certain foods out of your diet. You may lose weight at first on one of these diets. But diets that strictly limit calories or food choices are hard to follow. Most people quickly get tired of them and regain the weight that was lost.

Fad diets may be unhealthy because they may not provide all of the nutrients your body needs. Also, losing weight at a very rapid rate (more than 3 pounds a week after the first few weeks) may increase your risk for developing gallstones (clusters of solid material in the gallbladder that can be painful…screaming painful.  I have seen it!). Diets that provide less than 800 calories per day also could result in heart rhythm abnormalities, which can be fatal.

Tip: Research suggests that losing ½ to 2 pounds a week by making healthy food choices, eating moderate portions, and building physical activity into your daily life is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. By adopting healthy eating and physical activity habits like Shakeology and P90X, you may also lower your risk for developing:  type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

Myth #4: Eating after 8 p.m. causes weight gain.

Fact: It does not matter what time of day you eat. It is what and how much you eat and how much physical activity you do during the whole day that determines whether you gain, lose, or maintain your weight. No matter when you eat, your body will store extra calories as fat.  Its intake vs outbound folks!  Just have to do the math 😉

Tip: If you want to have a snack before bedtime, think first about how many calories you have eaten that day. And try to avoid snacking in front of the TV at night it may be easier to overeat when you are distracted by the television.  I would not recommend eating atleast 2 hours before bed though.

Myth #5: Lifting weights is not good to do if you want to lose weight, because it will make you “bulky.”

Fact: Lifting weights or doing strengthening activities like push-ups and crunches on a regular basis can actually help you maintain or lose weight. These activities can help you build muscle, and muscle burns more calories than body fat. So if you have more muscle, you burn more calories—even sitting still! Doing strengthening activities 2 or 3 days a week will not “bulk you up.” A lot of women are intimidated by strength training, thinking that they will turn into a female terminator. Only intense strength training, combined with a certain genetic background, can build very large muscles.

Tip: In addition to doing at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (like walking 2 miles in 30 minutes) on most days of the week, try to do strengthening activities 2 to 3 days a week.  With P90X  I do push-ups, pull-ups, all kinds of ab exercises and I also use resistance bands.

I hope these tips can help you stay on the right path and not get caught up in all the diet hypes out their.  Stay grounded and stay informed HERE at RIPPEDCLUB.

Keep BRINGIN IT guys!

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