Wanting to lose weight? And also determined to regain your dream body shape? It is possible only if you are completely aware of the various myths and facts relating to weight loss and how the facts can be leveraged to your advantage.
MYTH OR FACT?
Several false beliefs about weight loss are out there. Sometimes it becomes very difficult to do the correct things when we are misinformed. To help you make the best choices possible, we will discuss all the popular claims relating to weight loss and bust the myth and clear the fact around it.
1 Does skipping meals help in weight loss?
Answer: False.
Depriving yourself of food or skipping meals increases the risk of overeating or satisfying cravings. When you starve or skip meals your body tends to store the reserves in the form of fats, causing weight gain instead of weight loss. Thus, skipping meals can never be an option to lose weight. So have frequent meals in the duration of 2 – 4 hours, so make sure you choose the healthier options.
2 If I exercise, can I eat anything I want? And still, lose weight?
Answer: False.
To lose weight your calories consumed should be lesser than burnt only then, you would lose weight over the period.
If you continue to consume dessert and expect to lose weight, it won’t work as you need to burn the accumulated calories.
To do so – Focus on balance –
1. Exercise regularly
2. Eat Better and healthier.
3. Have a smaller portion size.
3 Drinking water promotes weight loss.
Answer: True.
Water does not have any weight loss properties as it contains zero calories. But you can consider it to replace with your usual drinks which contain calories and reduce your daily calorie intake. In some cases, it has the effect of suppressing hunger. Drinking water has several other benefits for health. Thus, drinking water may or may not have any effect on your weight loss activity but you should consider your overall health benefits.
4 Alcohol consumption contributes to weight gain.
Answer: True.
Alcoholic beverages contain a lot of calories and consuming in large quantities leads to weight gain. For example, 12 ounces of beer contains 140 calories on average. A glass of white wine contains about 120 calories with a 150-ml of glass. Some cocktails contain up to 450 calories for a 250-ml glass. Thus, increasing your overall calorie intake.
5 Does eating fiber-rich food help in weight loss?
Answer: True.
Fiber-rich food consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, etc. having high nutritional value and containing fewer calories. Whereas dietary-rich fiber slows down digestion and reduces the sensation of hunger. Thus, people who consume more fiber-rich food find it easier to lose weight as compared to people who don’t. It should also be noted that the consumption of fiber has numerous other benefits for health.
6 Diets centric on fasting are beneficial for health and weight loss.
Answer: False.
In fact, nothing could be less true. Fasting has no benefits on health. In fact, it can be harmful, causing fatigue, dizziness, nausea, or cause blood pressure to drop. Moreover, this is not a strategy that has been proven effective for weight loss in the medium or long term.
7 Does losing weight help prevent certain chronic diseases.
Answer: True.
Numerous studies have shown a direct relationship between being overweight or obese and developing certain chronic diseases. Diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and also certain types of cancers. Thus, losing weight is paramount for a healthier life.
8 Losing weight: It couldn’t be easier!
Answer: False.
No, losing can be difficult. As it often requires challenging ourselves, lifestyle changes, effort, hard work, and motivation. If you make time for yourself and establish an action plan, there’s no doubt that you will be able to achieve your objective for a healthy weight. Surrounding yourself with competent healthcare professionals may prove to be useful. But it will require determination.
Now that you are aware of the myths associated with weight loss and know those facts, make sure you make wise choices and can achieve the objectives you set.