Fit Tips
Weight loss Myths
"Eating carbohydrates will make you fat."
Carbohydrates will not make you fat. Even eating fat doesn't make you fat. The same goes for protein. Excess calories make you fat. The key is to obtain all three macronutrients in a proper balance for your bodies needs.
For carbohydrates, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, stay away from processed foods, and limit your breads and grains. For protein, eat lean meats, especially fish and poultry. As for fat, stick with unsaturated fats like those you get from almonds and olive oil.
"My metabolism slows with age."
It is a fact that as you age, you become less active. It is also a fact that after years of inactivity and poor nutrition you do lose muscle tissue and strength and, therefore, your metabolism does slow down.
However, you can control your metabolism by exercising regularly and sticking with a proper resistance training program. This will maintain your muscle mass and in turn, increase your metabolism.
"It's in my genes."
This myth stems from the nature vs. nurture issue. If I'm doing everything right and still not losing then it must I be my parent's fault. The fact is only a small percentage (around 1 percent) of people can legitimately blame their genes. For most it is really a lack of exercise and poor eating habits. Be honest with yourself. Analyze what you are doing before pointing a finger at heredity.
"High reps burns fat and keeps you toned."
Toning does not even exist. It is an invention created by magazines to make women feel better about lifting weights.
Toning basically means more muscle definition. The only way you can do this is with proper nutrition to lower your body fat.
Doing high reps only improves strength and endurance; it does nothing to burn fat. It is better to increase your intensity by increasing the weight and decreasing the number of reps. This exhausts your energy stores, thereby raising your metabolism.
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