Let's face it, women are usually the target of fat burning and weight loss claims. However, both men and women find it easy to buy into the magic pill or procedure or latest sculpting machine to solve all their weight loss goals, and often remain disappointed with their results. The following are common weight loss myths that both men and women routinely buy into, sidelining their fitness goals.
1. Rest is For the Weak
On the contrary! Rest is essential for rebuilding the body after workouts. Healthy muscles perform better, and muscles that perform at their peak can work harder. Muscles that have a capacity to work harder will improve your workouts and in turn lead to better results. Getting proper amounts of sleep and rejuvenation are essential for your weight loss goals.
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Additionally, sleep deprivation increases stress levels in the body. Increased levels of negative stress can cause a release of hormones that prepare the body for prolonged periods of endurance by lowering the metabolism. The body begins to store calories for the long haul, sabotaging your progress.
2. Numbers Make Great Goals
It is interesting that men and women find themselves on opposite sides of the number game. Men often times want to gain muscular size, gain weight through muscle building and see bigger numbers as better. They are often less concerned with clothing sizes or scale numbers, in favor of the overall appearance of their body.
Women often want to lose inches, lose dress sizes, lose pounds and often see smaller numbers as better. Women are so caught up in numbers that they will often assign themselves a size, and going up for a better fit is not an option.
While overall appearance is a goal, that appearance must fit within the numerical criteria. This is why the number game is more dangerous for women, and leaves them at a higher risk for disordered eating and work out patterns.
Numbers are bad goals. Body composition, bone structure, body shape and personal needs make everyone of us different. There are no magic numbers. Striving for comfort in your skin is the best goal for any weight loss program.
3. Weight Lifting is for Body Builders
Negative! While body building cannot happen without weight lifting, weight lifting does not always lead to body building. Strength training is paramount in building lean muscle mass. Lean muscle burns fat both during and after workouts, extending your calorie burning far beyond times of activity.
Essentially, incorporating weight lifting into your workouts can help turn your body into a 24 hour calorie burning machine. Your workouts will be more productive, and you'll see better results in a shorter amount of time.
4. Running is the Best Cardio for Weight Loss
The fact is most people do not enjoy running, and often quit. Reasons for this include boredom, joint pain, level of difficulty and chronic conditions. Just like football, running is a sport and it is not for everyone.
The goal in working out is to find something you enjoy, and can do over a period of time. Hiking, organized sports and circuit training are all very effective workouts that do not require distance running. You are more likely to stick with a workout you enjoy, and thereby making your workouts more effective.
5. Diets Work
The smartest thing Weight Watchers ever advertised is the phrase "Diets don't work." As humans we are designed to intake and output. We cannot output without intake, and our levels of intake and output are related to one another. A balanced meal plan containing all the essential food groups, vitamins, minerals and enough calories is the best way to feed your body. Supplementation with a multivitamin can fill in some of the gaps.
While some people do see results through fad dieting, the truth is that all diets do not work for most people, and often any results seen are temporary. Fad diet weight loss is often lost muscle mass or water, and can lead to health complications. Fad diets are not supported by the medical community for many reasons, health risks remaining at the top of that list.
Additionally, deprivation diets will actually kill the metabolism, making it harder to maintain weight already lost and lose additional pounds.
There is a plethora of information out there regarding weight loss and dieting. Too much of it is false or misleading, and can be overwhelming to the average person. Personal trainers can help with this dilemma. They can help you find the time, the motivation, the meal plan and the workout regimen that is best for you.
Your health should be viewed as an investment. It will keep you and maintain you for the duration of your life span. Investing in the proper tools can improve your chances of success.
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