What is weight loss: An Introduction
Have you been struggling to lose some extra kilos and feel defeated despite your best efforts because you’ve seen no desired changes in weight? Before you move on to starvation mode to lose weight faster, read this. It is a common misconception that, in order to lose weight, you need to go on a starvation diet. NO! Weight loss doesn’t mean starvation. You might be working hard and putting a large amount of pressure on yourself on weekdays to eat healthy in smaller portions. This might be hard for you to control yourself when you are offering a treat, especially on weekdays. Not only will this completely negate the calories and fat you’d worked hard to lose for your physical health, it’s also likely to have a big negative impact on your mental health. The only way to avoid this is to not starve yourself. Instead, you can focus on eating small, but effective, meal portions that are nutritious enough to make you feel full.
Weight Loss: Myths & Facts
When it comes to weight loss, many popular beliefs are just myths, and others are only partly true. Here are some facts and myths to help you sort through what you hear.
Myth#1
Fat makes you fat
This is a common misconception among people. Fat doesn’t make you fat. We gain weight when we eat more than we need, whether that’s from protein, carbohydrates, or fats. In fact, getting required amounts of healthy fats in your diet plan may make managing your weight easier. Natural food sources are normally considered to be good sources of fat. Eating these fats can help increase metabolism, stimulate fat burning, reduce hunger, optimize cholesterol levels, and even reverse type 2 diabetes.
Processed, refined, and fried foods are usually the ones that contain bad fat. These include mainly trans fats and inflammatory vegetable oils. An increased intake of these unhealthy fats can make you gain a lot of weight and also result in an increase in inflammation.
Myth#2
Carbs make you fat
People, CARBS DON’T MAKE YOU FAT. The biggest misconception that we hear is the belief that carbs make you fat. Gaining weight is probably caused by eating more calories than your body requires, not by eating carbs. In fact, your body needs enough carbs to function properly. It is an important source of energy that fuels your muscles. If you’ve ever tried cutting carbs from your diet, you probably might have felt a lack of energy, fatigue, and increased hunger. Yes, this is the reason. If you’re eating the right types of carbs, you are giving your body the proper nourishment it needs.
But be aware of ultra-processed foods like cookies, cakes, cereal, and ice cream that are full of sugar (carbs) without any of the benefits that smart carbs have – fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These carbs might taste yummilicious but have nothing to offer in terms of value to your body.
Myth#3
Diet needs to be radical In order to lose weight
No, this isn’t true. A radical diet is not the solution for losing a lot of weight. Successful weight loss involves making small changes that you can stick to for a long time. You can find a way to cut calories that’s both tolerable and sustainable—not a diet that is too harsh and impossible to manage.
Nutrition is an evolving science, with new myths and facts appearing every now and then. It is always recommended to consult a registered dietitian, who can help you separate fact from myth and help you achieve your desired health goals in a sustainable manner. Nitro Gym in Silicon Oasis has personal trainers who can help you out with the appropriate diet plans, and more.
Myth#4
Fast weight loss leads to weight regain
This is a popular myth that you can hear from people. The fact is, those who lose weight faster tend to be more successful in the end, and there is no evidence that shows the opposite. Isn’t it a win right out of the gate? Why shouldn’t someone accept the good side of fast weight loss rather than running behind the “weight regain” myth?
Myth#5
You must eat breakfast to lose weight
The base of this myth rests upon the belief that eating breakfast will enable a person to reduce their calorie intake throughout the day. It’s true that even today’s official nutrition guidelines recommend that we eat breakfast. However, there is no assurance that just eating breakfast will in any way decrease your total calorie intake for the rest of the day. People who skip breakfast might be hungrier at lunch due to their prolonged fasting state, but it doesn’t mean that people who have breakfast would necessarily eat fewer calories. If you are not having a filling and nutritious breakfast, the chances are that you may end up eating more than your body needs in the afternoon. Therefore, having breakfast may not necessarily reduce your weight, but you need to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight.
Myth#6
Spot reduction helps with weight loss
The term “spot reduction” refers to burning fat from a specific area of the body, for instance, abdomen, hips, or arms. Spot reduction doesn’t help with weight loss; it’s a myth. If you lose a kg, you lose it from the entire body, from head to toe. During workout, the free fatty acids and glycerol used as fuel can come from anywhere in the body, not specifically from the area that is being exercised. You can get in touch with the personal trainers at Nitro Gym, one of the best gyms in Al Barsha, and you are all set to experience an exhilarating fitness journey.