Debunking 6 Popular Weight Loss Myths
At one point or another, we’ve all read a magazine that claimed to have the newest weight loss secret or “accidentally” found ourselves watching The Goop Lab on Netflix, only to be left more confused about weight loss than when you started.
That’s diet culture for you.
Losing weight, in essence, is simple: burn more calories than you take in.
But, somewhere along the line, weight loss became blurry because your mom, your co-worker, and that one bikini girl on Instagram all claim to be leading weight loss experts and yet, they all have different advice.
Weight loss and fitness is extremely personal, which is first-and-foremost why we always recommend speaking to your healthcare provider or working with a certified personal trainer in order to get the best result for you, your body, and your health.
At Fitness World, we believe if weight loss is your goal, it should be done in a healthy, sustainable way. So, in this blog, we’re going to demolish six of the most popular weight loss myths, so that you can build a health and fitness journey that you can stick with!
Strength Training Makes You Bulky
A common misconception with weight loss is that you only should be doing cardio workouts, as strength training will just make you “bulky.” We’re here to bust this myth wide open.
If weight loss is your goal, strength training will not only help you accomplish this, but will also help you build stronger bones AND burn more calories while at rest.
That’s right – the more strength training you do, the more calories you burn just doing nothing. Take that cardio (just kidding, we do love that, too).
The Larger the Calorie Deficit, the Faster the Weight Loss
As much as we would love to tell you that weight loss is linear, it doesn’t work that way. There are some weeks you will lose weight faster than others, but that should never mean you increase your calorie deficit to an unsustainable amount.
Not only will that give you the opposite effect by putting your body in starvation mode, it can also cause real damage to your hormone levels that can lead to acne, hair loss, and fatigue.
The Best Time to Workout is in the Morning
We’re not sure who started the myth that working out in the morning is the only efficient time to work out, but this is false.
Sure, morning workouts will give you a boost of energy and probably help your concentration, but they’re not a necessity. You can workout at 1pm, 3:30pm, 7pm, and even, dare we say, 11:45pm. Find a time in your day where you can happily set aside 30 minutes to enjoy active movement and your body and mind will thank you – no matter the time of day.
Weight Loss Always Means Fat Loss
If you eat sushi and pizza on Friday night and weigh yourself Saturday morning, you will see that the number has gone up. But, it’s not fat – it’s water.
Our body holds onto carbohydrates and sodium like a sponge, which is why it’s so important to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water when you’re on a weight loss journey (and anytime, really!)
All or Nothing
It’s very common for people to declare they’re going on a weight loss journey and throw all of their “junk food” away, only to run and get pizza three days later.
The “all or nothing” mindset causes people so much stress because they feel like they’ve failed if they “cheated.” Unless you’re copying someone’s homework, you’re not cheating – you’re living your life. Weight loss should be something you add to your life, not something that controls it.
The Longer the Workout, the Better
If there’s one myth we want to break, it’s this one. Working out for longer will not provide you with more benefits – in fact, it might be doing more damage.
Cardio, strength training, dance – all of these workouts cause microdamage to your muscles and bones – this may sound bad, but we promise you, it’s not. At rest, your tissues will rebuild and thus become stronger. But it’s vital that you give your body the necessary time to be able to rebuild. So, please – do not do a 2-hour workout because you think it will help you shed a few extra pounds.
Get the Right Advice at Fitness World!
If you’re ready to start a weight loss journey that is customized for your lifestyle, join the Fitness World family! We’re passionate about helping people build a healthy, happy, and sustainable life they love!
Let’s get your journey started today!
