What to do, what not to do? What to believe, what not to believe? These questions and doubts can ruin your diet and cause you to eventually quit altogether. Get those influences and voices out your head, get informed, and find out what really works and what doesn’t.
We often restrict ourselves from the foods and social gatherings that we enjoy all in hopes of attaining that goal weight or physique. We follow what we think is right and this article is to help shed some light on all of the things we do that are hindering our diets. If you have been strict with your diets and workouts and find yourself not seeing any progress, the following points may be to blame. Here are 15 weight loss myths that are running your diet.
15 It says healthy on the package, it must be good!
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If a health claim is made on a box of a particular food that probably means it’s no good. Don’t get sucked in! Companies love to influence consumers with pretty packaging and fancy writing how good it really is, the truth is you are allowed to write whatever you chose to write on the package, leaving many consumers to be mislead. These types of foods are usually low quality food, in addition they are high processed foods. Be smart, familiarize yourself with labels and get to know what is good and what is not, like added trans fats, artificial ingredients or additional sugars. Always be ready and on the lookout!
14 Salad, salad and more salad
Eating salad simply isn’t enough for your body to sustain for an extended period of time. Doing so will ultimately slow down your metabolism causing weight loss to work at a much slower pace. Your body needs to be fueled properly with a well balanced rich macronutrient diet. A diet must consist of a strong balance between proteins, fats and carbohydrates. In doing so it will supply your body with energy, promote your metabolism and help ensure your body functions are running properly.
13 Eating at night is bad
One of the greatest myths and most heated debate amongst fitness enthusiasts continues to be whether eating late at night effects the body positively or negatively. Many enthusiasts and researchers actually believe that eating late at night can actually help promote weight loss. Researchers believe that fuelling late at night intermixed with going to bed can cause the body to repair itself much easier and more efficiently causing room for more weight to be lost.
12 Protein makes you big and bulky
Ladies, you need protein, do not run from it any more. Many women are often concerned that taking in protein will make them big or bulky. The truth is your body needs a healthy well balanced amount of protein in order to function at an optimal rate. Ideally women should try and aim for 20-30 grams of protein per meal. Having protein will stimulate your metabolism and improve recovery leading to an improved opportunity to reduce body fat.
11 Supplements are evil
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I’m here to tell you that supplements are not evil and can serve a purpose. Keep in mind the word supplement, does not mean they are meant to supplement something. The purpose of supplements is to help enrich your diet and aid any type of deficiencies you might have. So if you’re not getting in enough Omega-3’s using a fish oil supplement can help fill that void. Protein shakes are also an important supplement, it can help speed up the protein recovery process after your workout. It is important to remember that with a strong nutritionally balanced diet, supplements are not necessary but can still serve a purpose and can aid to fill what you are lacking.
10 Doing abs everyday will get you abs
It’s important to remember that stressing the same muscles everyday can actually prohibit growth and development of the body part you are constantly stressing. So ladies, doing abs everyday isn’t necessarily the best idea. In order for a muscle to grow properly it must have a sufficient amount of time in order to build and repair itself. It is recommended that you give a body part at least two days rest before hitting it up again. Also be sure to have a well balanced diet along with conditioning in order to get visible results. A diet is the biggest key when it comes to building abs. You can have the best ab sessions but without a well balanced nutritional diet, visible signs of abs just won’t happen.
9 Cutting out the fat is a must
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Some women believe that cutting fat will improve your diet. This is wrong. Fat serves a big purpose in a well balanced diet. When trying to lose weight, fats should be consumed at a medium to high rate. It is normally recommended that 30-40% of your diet comes from healthy fats. A diet with low fat will simply make you miserable. Be sure to have a well balanced intake of the main 3 types of fats including saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
8 Cutting carbs completely is essential
Cutting out cabrs completely for an extended period of time can ultimately prohibit your goals. Carbohydrates are very important to weight loss, they provide energy and allow you to burn even more. Without carbohydrates your system desperately looks for another fuel source and ends up stalling your progress. Getting in those carbs properly is all about timing. The best time to get in those carbs is in the morning and immediately following your workout.
7 The more cardio the better
Many women are under the impression that doing more cardio can only be beneficial and will ultimately help your diet, this is incorrect. Doing too much cardio can eventually lead to many negative effects such as an increase in your bodily function of cortisol, muscle tearing, slower metabolic rate, burnout, decreased mood and lack of eating. For cardio lovers an ideal schedule should feature a maximum of 30 minutes 4 times a week along with weight training.
6 Smoothie Rush
Seems that many women today take the smoothie route, this however can be a mistake and ruin your diet in the long run. Some smoothies contain many added preservatives including loads of sugar, high fat yogurts, artificial sweeteners and other added ingredients. Your best bet is to instead opt for a freshly squeezed juice which contains all natural fruits with no added preservatives or sugars. Smoothies tend to cater to taste rather than healthy ingredients, be aware next time around.
5 Skipping meals will make me lose weight
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Ladies, this tactic simply does not work. Skipping meals can actually cause an inverse effect creating increased belly fat storage. This is largely due to the fact that insulin in your body slows down causing your metabolism to also slow down. Your body needs proper fueling in order to maintain its function, not fueling it properly will only cause damage to it. Skipping meals can eventually lead to low self-esteem, lack of control in life, depression, anger, anxiety and loneliness. Be smart, give your body the proper fuel it needs.
4 A scale judges your true progress
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One of the biggest mistakes so many people make is allowing a scale to dictate their progress. It is certainly important to see a difference on the scale don’t get me wrong, but the key factor is tracking your body fat. Always keep in mind when you are weight training, you are building muscle and muscle has weight to it. This can cause little changes to your weight despite visible changes, the best way to figure out your true progress is by finding out your body fat. I strongly encourage all trainees to get a body fat assessment done to really see how much you’ve progressed over time. Don’t let the scale bring you down!
3 Keep that junk away from me at all times!
Diets shouldn’t seem like a burden. Depriving yourself from things you love isn’t healthy either. Diets are meant to create a healthy balance while still allowing you to indulge every now and then on those foods you love. Cheat meals can also boost your metabolism, causing you to break plateaus and lose weight even faster. Make dieting fun and find ways to incorporate those cheat meals!
2 Counting calories
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Counting calories continues to be one of the most popular forms of dieting amongst women. What many women don’t realize is that this system of dieting is extremely flawed. At the end of the day it is important to find out where you are getting the calories from. The system of counting calories simply doesn’t care where the calories come from, leaving the system as one that is very flawed and with no type of nutritional structure. A fine balance between protein, carbohydrates and fats is needed in order to achieve a successful diet. Fueling your body with proper macronutrients is the real key and not just random empty calories.
1 No Portion Control
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Oh it’s good for you, ok so I’ll have the entire bag. Portion control is often a big concern amongst women. Many women believe that they can eat an excess amount of something just because it’s good for you. This unfortunately is incorrect. Using a food scale is the simple solution to this problem. Using a food scale can be quite humbling. Many clients are often shocked to find out exactly how much an actual portion really is. Throughout my experience, trainees generally either over eat or under eat, finding that perfect balance is key. Simply using a scale and seeing exactly how much you need to eat will benefit you greatly and ensure you’re in taking the required amounts your body needs. A scale is a must-have in order to properly portion your daily intake.
Sources:today.com
