Weight Loss Myths

"If you lose more that two pounds per week, chances are you are losing a considerable amount of water and even some muscle. Again, muscle loss leads to a slower calorie-burning metabolism, which can eventually lead to weight gain. "

Everybody who has tried to shed a few pounds knows that there are many myths out there regarding weight loss. Here are the most common.

Myth #1:"This diet really works ..."
There are so many "miracle" diets out there. Cabbage soup, high protein, liquid diets, slimming drinks, shots, fasting, "miracle" juice and even diets that allow you to eat only every other day ... the list is endless. If your goal is to lose a lot of water and maybe a few pounds temporarily, then I guess you could say that they work. If your goal is permanent weight loss, then exercise, learning new eating habits and lifestyle change are much more effective long-term. If you expect a diet, pill, workout or piece of exercise equipment to do the work for you, you will be disappointed. Nothing works without you.

Myth #2: "I'll lose weight first, then I will start exercising to tone up ..."
The more LBM, or lean body mass (muscle) your have, the more calories you burn. Most low-calorie diets will cause muscle loss (along with water and some fat loss), causing the calorie-burning metabolism to slow down. Over time, you will have to eat less and less to achieve the same results. As your LBM goes down, usually your body fat goes up. A healthy eating plan, combined with resistance training and cardiovascular exercise, will increase your LBM and increase your calorie-burning metabolism.

Myth #3: "Just don't eat carbs ..."
I hear this one more and more all the time. I wonder how a person could survive long-term without any fruit or vegetables. They all contain carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are necessary nutrients. Cutting down on some starches and sugars may help some people with weight loss, but completely cutting out a vital nutrient is not a good idea.

Myth #4: "Fat-burners"
These "fat-burners" may help with calorie burning by heating up your body and helping you burn more calories, but this is a temporary effect. Exercise also has this effect and it is many times more effective. Is there a supplement that will actually do the work for you? No. Most of these types of supplements are not only unnecessary, but they can be very dangerous for some people, especially those with high blood pressure.

Myth #5: "Lose weight while you sleep"
Many diet supplement companies use this statement to get people to buy their expensive products. Your body burns calories all the time, asleep or awake. It is not due to taking a particular supplement. Increasing your lean body mass with resistance training is the best way to increase your fat-burning machinery (muscle) and burn more calories even while you sleep.

Myth #6: "Lose 30 lbs in 30 days"
You have probably seen this posted up on telephone poles and fences. What's wrong with this statement? Let's examine what it would take to actually lose 30 pounds of fat in just a month. To accomplish this, you would have to burn 3,500 more calories than you take in every day for 30 days. Even if you ate nothing, you would not have a large enough calorie deficit to lose a pound of fat a day. If you add exercise to this, you would not have enough energy to workout enough to burn that many calories.

There are several supplement companies that would like you to believe their little pills can make you lose a pound every day ... without exercise! This is not only untrue (and unhealthy), it is not possible ... unless you count temporary water loss. If you lose more that two pounds per week, chances are you are losing a considerable amount of water and even some muscle. Again, muscle loss leads to a slower calorie-burning metabolism, which can eventually lead to weight gain.

Myth #7: "Fat turns to muscle (or vice-versa)"
Some supplement advertisements and diet plans suggest you can turn fat into muscle. Muscle is muscle and fat is fat. They do not magically turn into each other, ever. With a sensible diet and exercise, you will lose fat and gain some muscle.

There are so many myths and miracle claims regarding weight loss and it gets very confusing. Be aware of gimmicks and advertising. Just because they say they have the miracle supplement, does not mean that it is true. I am not saying all supplements are bad, but it is important to remember that supplements are just that ... they are meant to supplement your diet, not replace it. None of them are magic. There are no products or diets that will do the work for you. A good eating plan, exercise, and changing your lifestyle and habits are the best way to permanent weight loss.