DANG IT!!!! The scale is still not changing!!! I have increased my exercise and changed my food choices and I am still not losing any weight! Do I need to count calories or points? A calorie is a calorie. Don’t worry..you are not alone! Try to remember that losing body weight is linear. The fitness industry has produced over 10,000 fitness books since 1999. Every book is the proclaimed answer or secret to achieving your fitness goals. So I will shed some light on some common fitness myths that we all face today!
Myth #1. As long as you are exercising you can eat what ever you want.
I have met so many people that exercise to balance out their unhealthy nutritional habits. I know people that go to the gym and put in their time but go directly to the bar and eat fast food only complaining not to lose any weight. To lose body fat and unwanted body weight you must come to reality and stop this thinking. Your body must function in an negative energy balance. Basically you must burn more calories off than you consume throughout your day. In a reported study people underestimated their calorie intake by 47%.
Myth #2. I am overweight because I have a slow metabolism.
People perceive overweight people to have a slower metabolism than a skinnier person. The truth is that overweight people burn more calories because of overall body mass. Just ask anybody that comes to boot camp that trys to run with an additional 10# medicine ball. It is super tough! Burns a ton of calories! Yes we burn more calories with a large body mass. Lighter people burn less calories than an overweight person during movement due to calorie expenditure.
Myth #3. Genetics is why I am overweight.
Yes I do believe genetics plays a major factor in your current status but I do not believe we can blame your genetics 100%. If you take identical twins. They have the same genetic makeup and I have known twins to look totally different when they live in opposite environments. I think there are 3 main factors to blame rather than our genetics. It is easier to blame something that is out of your control:) Just because we might have overweight parents or relatives does not mean you have to be overweight too! I personally have many over weight relatives. I truely believe it is your daily choices with nutrition, calorie expenditure, and your mindset towards the weight loss issue. Here are 3 factors that we need to consider.
- Social Environment
- Physical activity environment
- Behavior
Myth #4. Counting portions is the only way to permanent weight loss.
I am a firm believer in the accountability factor but I truely believe that you need to know your caloric intake and caloric expenditure. Counting portions is great but you still have to have an accurate account of how many calories you are still eating. Accuracy is needed for long term weight loss. I understand how counting calories can be a pain in the butt. I recommend that you count calories a minimal of 2x per week to keep yourself in check.
Myth #5. Long duration cardio is the key to fat loss.
This statement is probably the #1 fitness myth since the beginning of time. The true answer is short intense intervals of cardio are the key to major fat burning. To really boom major calories try tabata training. Here is a great example. Outside try sprinting for 20 sec then followed by walking for 10sec. Repeat this sequence 8-10x.
Myth #6. Doing straight sets is the key to fat loss.
In all old school weight lifting books you will see common straight weight lifting sets like the 3 sets of 10 with rest periods of up to 2-3 minutes. If your goal is to drop major body fat you must kick it up a notch with supersets, tri-sets or giant sets. Elevating the heart rate with these training methods will produce greater body fat loss.
Bonus Tip:
Have you ever wondered why some fitness professionals recommend 48-72hrs of rest between training the abs? My take on this topic is the abdomen has a faster recovery rate than the larger muscle groups. Take for example the gymnastic athlete…these athletes train their abs several times a day with repetitions around the 800+ mark. I recommend training your abdomen at least 4x week with a variety of exercises that stimulate the anterior (front) and posterior (back) sections of your body:)
Dedicated To Your Fitness Success!
Steve
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