Losing weight is hard, there is no lie about that. It requires sacrifice and getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. More concerning, is the vast amount of information that is available online to help you lose weight. It’s hard enough losing weight, but it’s even harder knowing what information to rely upon.
Here are 5 Common Misconceptions People Have About Weight Loss:
1. Cheat meals can actually make you healthier.
Most people think of a cheat meal as an unhealthy indulgence while eating a healthy and balanced diet. The term “cheat meal”, can be misleading. As noted in a study by King’s College London, researchers found that the bacteria that is present in our gastrointestinal tract is more essential and important than counting calories when you’re trying to lose weight. Indulging in chocolate and red wine isn’t as bad as we once thought it was. The study found the good bacteria in our GI tract “adores” these foods. Why? These two foods contain polyphenols that encourage a healthy immune system and allow us to absorb vitamins essential for a healthy body to function. I’m not suggesting you go out and over-indulge in chocolate, portion is also key.
2. Eat regularly to avoid overeating later on.
Life is busy, sometimes eating regular meals gets in the way of our plans so we may skip a meal or two. The downside of doing this is it often leads to overeating later on. Our bodies require nutrition every 3 to 4 hours to prevent our metabolism from slowing down and crankiness. When you’re too hungry, blood glucose level drops significantly and then you will crave for more than needed.
3. Exercise does not burn as many calories as you have been lead to believe.
We often think that when we exercise we can eat anything and everything we want to. The truth is when you exercise your appetite increases, but the misconception lies within how many calories you actually burned while exercising. In this article, To Lose Weight, Eating Less Is Far More Important Than Exercising More, it emphasizes what you don’t eat is far more important than exercising.
4. Invest in walking every day rather than a fad fitness class.
A walk after a meal or right when you get home from work may be more beneficial than signing up for the newest and hottest fitness class. In a recent study conducted by Cornell University it is found that walking is the most “nutritious” exercise available. By getting in the habit of walking regularly you can save money rather than spending it on the hottest and trendiest fitness class. Plus, a regular walking regiment is more sustainable in the long run.
5. Stop cutting fat from your diet. Sugars and carbohydrates sabotage your diet.
Once upon a time it was a widely accepted to lose weight you must cut down on your fat consumption. Modern research has disproved this school of thought and has named sugar and carbohydrates as the culprits that sabotage weight loss. In this article, Pass the Butter: The Expert were all wrong, it states that carbohydrates and sugar are very recent additions to our diets and our bodies are not used to this new addition to our diets. Shift your focus from avoiding healthy fats to avoiding excessive sugars and carbohydrates.
Conclusion
Losing weight is hard and it becomes even more difficult with misleading information that is available everywhere. When push comes to shove, be mindful of these 5 misconceptions of weight loss and begin your journey of a healthier and more fit lifestyle.
