Five Myths You Should Avoid When Trying To Lose Weight

Everywhere you look, there are magazines telling you to try this fad diet or that one, try this supplement or that one to shed 5 pounds or more. Some of these ideas and products may work for a short time but more than likely, the weight will likely creep right back. You see, behavior modification, healthy eating and exercise are the only proven long term weight reducers you’ll ever need. In this article, we will bust not one but five common weight loss myths for good. So, let’s get started.

1. Myth one: You can reduce the fat in certain areas of your body. You’ve probably seen the headlines, lose belly fat in 3 days or less. You may have even tried some of the products or exercise too. If so, don’t worry because spot reduction is simply not possible. In fact, all legitimate weight loss experts will tell you that you cannot trick your body into reducing fat in only certain areas. The human body simply doesn't work that way. Therefore, no matter how many types of foods you eat, or targeted exercises you do, you won't notice a reduction of fat in any targeted area. Instead, you'll see fat reduced everywhere. Therefore, stop focusing on specific exercises like crunches and leg lifts to spot reduce your fat. Instead, follow a healthy diet and exercise all muscle groups. This will speed up your metabolism will help you burn that fat in a jiffy.

2. Myth two: Drastically cutting down your calories will reduce your body fat. Calorie reduction is not only dangerous but extremely risky because it encourages you to engage in crash or fad dieting in hopes of losing weight quickly. In fact, calorie reduction causes your body to go into starvation mode because your body thinks that food is scarce. In response, your metabolic rate slows down and your body may even start eating your muscles. The result? This keeps that yummy fat in reserve for producing energy. So, the only thing you get as a result of this myth is stored fat, less muscle and a slower metabolism. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

3. Myth three: Cardio exercises are the only exercises you need to lose weight. Although it is true that cardio exercises increases your heart rate and helps you lose fat, it is only one piece of the puzzle. You also have to combine cardio with weight training. Combined the two will help you lose weight and build and tone up your muscle. Plus, with more gorgeous muscle, you’ll be able to burn more calories (even at rest) and this will help you blast fat for sure!

4. Myth four: You can eat whatever junk you want and still lose weight. Although you should never deprive yourself of the occasional treat (even when trying to lose weight) you should always consider the quality of food as well as the quantity. Therefore, you should steer clear of junk food and make healthier choices. For instance, let’s say that your favorite meal includes a Big Mac and large French fries. You don’t have to give up McDonald’s all the way. Instead, you can substitute the fries for plain salad with low cal dressing or a baked potato (without sour cream and butter). You could even purchase a hamburger instead of the Big Mac. By making these choices, you will limit those calorie laden foods and drop some pounds. In addition, you should carefully read food labels and make healthier choices whenever possible. After all, you are what you eat so if you want to lose weight, eat sensible portions of quality foods.

5. Myth five: You have to make drastic changes to really lose the weight and keep it off. This is definitely a myth because small steady changes can have the best effect on your overall weight loss plan. For instance, if you typically use large dinner plates to eat, you should switch to a smaller plate. This will fool your body into thinking that you’re eating a whole lot when you actually are eating less. In addition, you can trick yourself into exercising more. For example, you can park further away from your car or walk to complete your errands. These extra steps will burn calories and help you lose weight and burn fat easily. By making these small changes, you will see a big difference.

In conclusion, you can lose weight safely. You simply have to become aware of myths, stop focusing on bad advice and fad diets, become cognizant of your food choices, eat sensibly, and make exercise a priority. By doing this, you can and will achieve your dream weight and accomplish your weight loss goals.