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Breaking the 3 Biggest Weight Loss Myths
1. “Carbs make you fat” We’ve all been there, turning down pre-dinner bread rolls, replacing our hamburger buns with lettuce, eating squash instead of spaghetti, or even skipping the fries and opting for broccoli; but what if I told you it was “O.K.” to eat these things? Yes, you read that right. I am giving you permission to enjoy the carbs! (In moderation of course) But the truth of the matter is, you need carbs. “Your body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose. Glucose, or blood sugar, is the main source of energy for your body’s cells, tissues, and organs.” (1) Especially if you are currently on, or plan to be on some sort of fitness regimen, it is important that you incorporate carbohydrates into your regular diet. It will give you the energy your body needs in order to get the most out of your workouts. “Foods high in carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet. Carbohydrates provide the body with glucose, which is converted to energy used to support bodily functions and physical activity.(2) Studies show that on average, 40-65% of your daily calories should come from carbohydrates. As you probably guessed, there are going to be certain carbs that are healthier and more beneficial than others. Not all carbs are created equal, you know what I mean? And it is better to eat them earlier on in the day so your body has time to burn them off. Meaning, it’s ok to have pasta but I’d recommend it for lunch instead of a heavy dinner before going to bed. Anyways, here is a short list of some healthier carb packed foods that you can incorporate into your diet.
Quinoa
Bananas
Sweet potatoes
Beets
Oats
Whole Grain Breads
Buckwheat
Carrots
Prunes
Pumpkin
2. Lifting weights makes you bulky. This one is geared more towards the women (only because we hear this one the most) or anyone trying to slim down. I’ve heard this myth for YEARS! But the truth is, lifting weights will NOT make you bulky. One more time for the people in the back……
LIFTING WEIGHTS WILL NOT MAKE YOU BULKY!!!!!!!!
Actually, it turns out, the opposite is true. Lifting weights will help tighten and tone your body, burn fat, and accentuate your curves. Incorporating weight training into your routine can lead to an increase in your lean body mass. By adding more lean muscle, your body will burn more calories between workouts.
Now, if bulking is actually a goal of yours, you need to be eating an excess of calories on top of heavy weight training in order to build the muscle. That being said, you can’t “accidentally” get bulky just by weight training alone. So I stand by my statement…..
LIFTING WEIGHTS WILL NOT MAKE YOU BULKY!
3. You have to do HOURS of cardio to lose weight.
If only I could go back and tell this to 20 year old me who literally spent hours on the treadmill and stairs as punishment to myself. Listen, cardio is great and obviously great for your overall health HOWEVER, you do not need to punish yourself for hours and hours. In all honesty, if you’re spending that long on the cardio machines, chances are you’re hurting your goals more than you are helping them.
Women’s Health Magazine reported in an article that The National Institute of Health (3) recommends only 30-45 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio exercises 3-5 days a week. That’s really all you need. And if you are eating well, and doing weight training, you can fit in your cardio simply by taking a walk every day. It’s all about balance. Instead of wasting hours of your day on the treadmill, set a step goal for the day and try to fit in more steps throughout. This way you don’t feel like an actual hamster in a wheel and you are burning calories all day long.
If you want a way to burn some excess calories, or you’ve hit a weight loss plateau and you can’t seem to get that last 5lb’s off, I recommend running sprints at the end of your workout (except on leg days!). Run 10 interval sprints. 20 seconds on, 30 seconds rest. As fast as you can. That’s it, 10 minutes of pushing. And I don’t know about you, but 10 minutes of sprints sounds A LOT more achievable than 2+ hours on the treadmill.
So there it is folks. The 3 Biggest Myths or Lies we’ve been told about weight loss. If you are thinking about starting a weight loss journey, I urge you to do your research and talk to your health care providers before making any drastic changes to your daily activity and diet. Remember, super restrictive eating or excessive exercise isn’t sustainable for long periods of time. You may see short term results, but like everything else, anything worth having takes time.
If you are looking to start your weight loss journey, be sure and check out my Summer Shred ’22 Workout Guide now available for download!
9 weeks of workouts broken down into a step by step guide with pictures so whether you’re a seasoned pro or new to the fitness world, I got your back.
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Resources
Https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a19976440/how-much-cardio-to-lose-weight/