Thinking about starting a diet plan to reduce weight is relatively easier than implementing it in true spirit. But why? Of course, it isn’t easy because you might have a lot on your plate at the moment.
No matter how strict your fitness and nutrition routine is, you are always vulnerable to cheating on your diet plans. If it’s only sometimes, then having a cheat meal is fine, but caution must be exercised when believing the various myths propagated by the people and the media industry. These can be damaging to your cause and have the potential to impact your plans in growing muscle or reduce weight. Getting healthy requires a change in mindset and habits which comes with planning and implementation, rather than following biased myths that are completely useless.
The internet is full of misconceptions and false information. One of the biggest myths is getting long-term results in a short period.
MYTH 1 – Fat can be reduced from one part of the body
You might have heard, “My body is perfect. I want to reduce my belly fat.” Or, “I just want to gain mass on my arms.” Let me tell you the ugly truth. This is known as “Sport Reducing,” which is not accurate. If it is authentic, reducing the fat from the area we are unhappy with must feel astonishing, right? Fat reduces the overall body mass. We cannot control where we lose fat, so a good workout plan and diet can help us minimize fat. A certain amount of cardio, resistance training, and a healthy diet plays a significant role in aiding a person to get lean and reduce fat. Resistance training with cardio helps burn more calories and increase strength and endurance.
MYTH 2 – Being shredded means you are fit
If a person sheds weight and develops a body in a seemingly fit shape, we assume that the individual is extraordinarily fit, but that’s not true. If you want to consider a person fit, that person has to be fit in terms of cardiovascular, muscle strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition. If a guy has less body fat or is shredded, that doesn’t indicate he will perform well in cardiovascular exercises too. Being shredded suggests that the overall body fat percentage is low.
Too much low body fat doesn’t indicate a positive health range. Fats are essential for our body as they protect our organs and muscles. Apart from that, it helps to maintain the body temperature. Focusing on consistent exercising and good eating habits will lead to a healthy fat range.
MYTH 3 – Carbs will make you fat
Carbs are considered to be the paramount foods that give your body energy and nutrition. How can it make you fat? People don’t comprehend that anything used excessively can increase your weight. Simple carbs contain sugar, and our body needs sugar to function. According to researchers, our brain needs 130 grams of carbs daily to work. For an efficient and effective metabolism, carbs are essential. Rather than cutting carbs, we need to focus on consuming healthy carbs like fruits, vegetables, oats, and other whole grains that are immensely nutritional.
MYTH 4 – Longer workouts provide better results
Imagine never working out your whole life and then expecting to exercise 2 hours a day to get lean in a month. It’s not a game or a dream. Results take time and consistency. Working out for extended periods won’t provide results in a day and is not practical.
If you are a fitness enthusiast, you might have heard about HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training), which consists of short, intense workouts followed by a short rest period. The idea is to push your limits in a shorter time rather than performing one-hour regular exercise. HIIT workouts are effective and provide staggering results for toning, cardiovascular health, and fat burning. It makes training more interesting as it can be undertaken anywhere, like on a beach or a floor. Put some music on and dance while working out. Mix up things and make them more challenging.
Short workouts can be highly effective. It just depends on how you exercise and what plan you follow.
MYTH 5 – Fast food makes you fat
Weight loss or gain doesn’t depend on avoiding fast food or focusing on homemade food alone. It just depends on the calorie intake. If your daily calorie intake exceeds the calories spent, you will eventually gain weight. On the other hand, a calorie deficit can lead to weight loss. Yet, not all sorts of fast food are detrimental to health. A grilled chicken burger with cheese and coleslaw is a perfectly nutritious meal full of protein, although it comes under the fast food category. The bottom line suggests that fast food doesn’t have to be fattening, but healthier options are available. It just depends on what you choose to eat. You are the decision maker.
Conclusion
Planning to lose weight can seem like a genuine hurdle because of the confusion spread by social media and doctors. Choosing the right way to do it looks like a difficult decision. As mentioned before, the whole game of losing weight is about your daily count of calorie intake and mindset. Keep moving and exercise smartly with consistency. If you are interested in weight loss, look for suggestions from a credible source instead of Googling because the internet is home to many unfounded myths. One credible source that can be trusted is Natasha Awais’s book, 3 Step Intermittent Fasting System to Sustained and Healthy Weight Loss. Grab your copy today and start your journey toward weight loss and muscle gain.