Breaking 5 Myths about Weight Loss

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Breaking 5 Myths about Weight Loss

Are you trying to lose weight but the scale just won’t budge? Do diet and exercise seem to have zero effect on your body? Want a belly like Shakira but these celebrity weight loss plans just don’t work for you? Well, you could be doing everything right but still not getting anywhere because of some common misapprehensions about weight loss.

Here are five nasty myths about losing weight and the reality behind them:

Myth 1: The hungrier you are, the slimmer you’ll get

Skipping meals and staying hungry for long periods are a big no-no when it comes to losing weight the healthy way. Firstly, the more you stay hungry, the more you’ll gobble down the next time you get hold of food. Secondly, your body will hit the plateau sooner and enter into starvation mode. Lastly, you will end up feeling miserable all day long. An empty stomach will make you irritable, moody, and lethargic and you may get ill due to weakness.

Experts strongly advise against starvation as it tends to make you weak and not slim. Google your favorite celebrity weight loss stories and you’ll see that those who resorted to staying hungry or consumed very little food quickly put the weight back on once the plan was over.

Myth 2: No matter what you eat, just count the calories

Remember, you are what you eat. So, what you eat absolutely matters. Counting calories seems to be an effective way of losing weight. However, it shifts the focus from quality to quantity. Consuming calories less than the recommended value can be risky. Beyonce Knowles’ Master Cleanse diet for her role of Deena in Dream Girls is a proof to it. This famous celebrity weight loss plan consisted of consuming only a liquid diet that many nutritionists considered “unsafe” due to its exceptionally low calorie consumption. While Beyonce was successful in dropping off twenty pounds within three weeks with this diet, she confessed feeling irritable during the dieting period and speedily gaining the weight again once her shooting was over.

Myth 3: Eliminating carbs from your diet is the only way to lose weight

This is definitely not true. You need to have a certain portion of carbohydrates daily in order to have a healthy, balanced nutrition. As per the National Academies’ Institute of Medicine, the recommended portion of carbohydrates for kids and adults is around 45 to 65 percent of their calorie intake. Moreover, it is also recommended to consume no less than 130 grams of carbohydrates daily. For people actively involved in sports or physical labor, more carbohydrates are needed to substitute muscle glycogen lost during strenuous physical activities. Remember, fiber is a ‘good’ carb and if you dodge carbohydrates completely, your fiber consumption will nosedive.

Myth 4: Avoid fat to shed pounds

The more you avoid fat, the more you’ll gain weight. Surprised? According to the modern research, foods that contain ‘healthy’ fat do not make you overweight. In fact, they can essentially accelerate your metabolism rate and help you get leaner. It is observed that individuals who eliminate fats from their nutrition are more inclined to substitute those calories with additional carbs. As a result, their metabolism is hijacked, and they pile up the belly fat much faster.

Myth 5: Go Gluten-free to trim down your waist

This seems to be the most common misconception about weight loss today. Check out any celebrity weight loss story and you’ll see how they swear by gluten-free diets.  Gwyneth Paltrow, Kourtney Kardashian, Zooey Deschanel, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Victoria Beckham, all are advocates of going gluten-free. But, is it really good for you? Research suggests that gluten-free diets generally have lower fiber content. Consequently, you feel less fulfilled and tend to overeat. Gluten-free foods are medically essential for individuals suffering from celiac ailment and the use of whole, unprocessed food can result in weight loss. Nonetheless, going gluten-free shouldn’t be used as a weight loss plan.

These are just a few myths regarding weight loss that can slow down your journey to a healthier body. With each passing day, more and more fad diets and misconceptions are being addressed by the nutritionists. Therefore, it is suggested to get in touch with your doctor before you start any diet.

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