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1000 Crunches Will Flatten My Stomach
The 10 BIGGEST Fat Loss MythsArticle care of simplemuscle.com#1 Magazines Tell The Truth
I'll put it on the line right now, you cannot believe what you read in magazines. Hardly groundbreaking but let me explain why. Some people think that because a nationally circulated magazine has rave reviews about a product or piece of equipment that what they say must be true.
Unfortunately, like most things in the world these days, magazines are driven by the dollar! Take most of the major fitness magazines for example. Each of these magazines has articles, editorials and advertisements for the latest and greatest in fat burning products. Ever notice they're all from the one company. Why - because that fitness magazine owns that company and all they are doing is using the magazine to promote their product.
Do you really think that that celebrity really used their product without receiving sponsorship dollars???
Even if a magazine isn't owned by a supplement company or vice versa, they still pay tens of thousands of dollars to advertise their products in the magazines. It's a case of however has the biggest cheque book wins, not whatever the best product is!!!
#2 The Only Way To Lose Weight Is To Starve Myself
Crap! Sorry if I offended anyone but that is what it is.
Starvation (aside from causing irreparable damage to your insides) will actually cause you to gain weight in the long run. Yes it is true that you have to burn more calories than you eat. But this doesn't mean starving yourself.
If you drop your calorie intake dramatically your metabolic rate actually slows down and therefore you burn much less fat. Your body as a response increases your appetite to try to get you to eat more calories. Your body does feed off your fat stores but because you deplete them so quickly it then starts to feed off your muscles and if it goes too far it will shut down your organs.
Then when you eventually do start eating again your body, in anticipation of being starved of nutrients again will store everything it possibly can and therefore result in rapid weight gain again but this time without any muscle tissue- so you have just increased the amount of fat in your body.
You are better off to only drop your calorie intake a smaller amount, say about 25% and then increase the intensity of your exercise. This will keep your metabolic rate high and your body functioning normally.
#3 I Can Just Take A Magical "Diet" Pill
Similar to point 2, people fail to realise the dangers of diet or appetite suppressing pills. Effectively they stop you from eating by making you feel full. The problem with this is that there are no nutrients entering your body.
Your body's response is to slow the metabolic rate to decrease fat burning. Prolonged use can have the same effect as starvation.
And then, like starvation, as soon as you begin eating again your weight rises rapidly because your body begins to store fat again in anticipation of the next starvation period.
#4 Meal Replacement Shakes- Should I Or Shouldn't I?
Meal replacement shakes are nothing more than supplements for an inadequate diet. The problem with them is that the body was never designed to live off liquid lunches.
If they have been formulated correctly (and that is a big IF) then they are invariably very low in calories. If your diet is too deficient in calories remember point 2- starvation. Because they are digested very quickly your body doesn't have to work as hard for as long to absorb the nutrients and therefore in effect your metabolic rate can slow down because you are providing a less constant source of nutrition.
#5 Eating Fat Is Bad
It all depends on the type of fat. There are good and bad fats. The good fats, poly-unsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats can actually help reduce the risk of heart disease, cardiovascular problems and blood pressure problems.
On the other hand, the BAD fats are the Saturated Fats and Trans-Fatty Acids which can be found in many of the deep fried, processed foods that flood today's market. Cut back on these and increase your intake of things like fish, nuts and plant oils and you are then consuming the good fats that can improve your health.
#6 Muscle Turns Into Fat And Vice Versa
It is physiologically impossible to turn muscle into fat and vice versa. They are two completely separate types of tissue. If the muscles aren't being trained then the body gets rid of the muscle tissue and therefore there is more room to store fat. The fat tends to be stored on top of your muscle tissue and therefore you lose your definition.
However, when you train and build muscle you burn fat and subsequently the fatty deposits over your muscles disappear. Muscle takes up less room than fat so as you build muscle you can find that you tend to trim down. You cannot turn one into the other.
#7 Drinking Lots Of Water Just Makes You Bloated
Water is one of the key players in metabolism, digestion and hunger control. None of these bodily systems function correctly without a sufficient level of water provided constantly to the body.
The reason you feel bloated is that your body is not used to receiving the correct amount of water and so, like starvation, it retains the water and gives you that bloated feeling.
If you regularly drink water (a minimum of 8 glasses a day for non-active people) then your body gets used to receiving a constant flow and therefore realises it doesn't need to retain water, flushing your system and making the bloated feeling disappear.
#8 I Have A Slow Metabolism
It doesn't matter what you metabolism or genetic disposition is like. The scientific facts are simple. If you burn more calories than you consume you lose weight. And if you eat less more often you keep your metabolism working at a higher rate for longer, therefore putting your body into a fat burning state for longer and giving you more energy.
Instead of eating 3 large meals a day, eat 6 smaller meals at closer intervals and drink plenty of water- your metabolism will be forced to speed up.
#9 I Have To Perform Hours Of Exercise To Burn Fat
Once again this is not the case. It all comes down to intensity. If you are doing very low intensity exercise (walking) then your body isn't working hard to burn energy (fat) and therefore fat loss is very slow.
If on the other hand you perform high-intensity exercise you are forcing your body to work hard, your energy stores are depleted quicker and your body subsequently enters the fat burning zone quicker.
You don't need to train for hours, 20-30 minutes of high intensity training may be all that is required. But you cannot expect to see results if you don't put in the effort and train hard consistently.
#10 Performing One Thousand Crunches Will Flatten My Stomach
You cannot "area target" fat loss through exercise. Performing one thousand sit ups will not flatten your stomach. You see the body has certain places it finds it easier to store fat.
For men it is usually the stomach area whilst women it is usually the hips and thighs.
Think of it like EFTPOS or Direct Debit. Just because your money is stored at the bank doesn't mean you can't access it somewhere else.
Indeed you can do no abdominal work at all and still see a reduction in your waistline. Training all parts of your body will burn fat from those storage areas, not just one.
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Disclaimer: This information presented is intended to be used for educational purposes only. The statements made have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (U.S.). These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition or disease. Please consult with your own physician or health care practitioner regarding any suggestions and recommendations made.
