Researchers work relentlessly on studies that would help shed light
on the elements surrounding weight loss. Each year, many new
discoveries crop up, and it would help to know the truth behind some of
the most commonly held myths:
Myth
#1: “I Can Choose To Lose Fat Only In Certain Parts Of My Body.”
Age, genes, and gender affect the pattern by which we lose fat.
To be able to reduce the fat on a certain area, your overall body fat
should also be reduced.
Apparently, in men and in some menopausal women, the midsection,
thighs, and hips are the areas that accumulate fat first and are also
the areas that lose fat last. Exercises such as crunches and sit-ups
only exercise the muscles beneath the fat.
Myth
#2: “I Avoid Starchy Foods Because They Make Me Fat.”
Potatoes, pasta, and breads are rich in starch, true; but they are
ready-to-use fuel sources.
They’re all carbohydrates and burn quickly.
Dietitians suggest that
starchy foods make up 60% of our daily diet as only a minute percentage
of it is converted into fat. Stay away from the processed
carbohydrates, however.
Myth
#3: “I Won’t Get Any Calories From Fat-Free Products.”
Even “calorie-free” products have calories in them, but they are
given this label because their calorie content is too little to be
consequential – that is, less than 5 calories per serving.
The US Food and Drug Administration authorizes the use of terms such as
“fat-free,” “sodium-free,” or
“sugar-free” for products with less than 0.5 g of these substances.
The downside to these products is that to compensate for the loss of
taste due to the removal of fat, they may be packed with
extra sugar,
and you may end up with a calorie-dense “fat-free” product. It is thus
important to check the labels and select products that are low in both
sugar and fat.
Myth #4: “More Exercise Reps Mean More Fat Burned.”
It’s a myth that using a lighter weight and a greater number of reps
(15 to 20, 20 to 30, or 20 to 50 reps) in weight training, for
instance, can burn more fat than heavier weights with less reps (8 to
12).
In weight training, during the first few seconds of extreme
contraction of the muscles after the initial ATP and CP levels have
been utilized, carbohydrates are used.
An average person in good health may need to perform aerobic
exercises for about 20-30 minutes before even 50% fat can be burned, as
oxygen is required in the fat-burning process.
When you do extra repetitions and compromise the intensity, the
extra reps may not provide a significant effect which could result in
the burning of extra fat.
Myth
#5: “It’s Better To Engage In Aerobic Exercises Than To Lift Weights
When Trying To Lose Fat.”
During aerobic exercise, you’ll actually burn more fat, especially
when done in combination with a healthy diet.
However, the benefits may be short-lived.
In weight or strength training, you’ll feel the effects of a better
metabolism even long after you’re done with your workout.
Weight training is responsible for building muscle mass, which
consequently burns a lot of calories. The best regimen for weight loss,
therefore, is still a well-thought-out combination of the two.
