Nutrition - Free Fitness Library
Big fat lies
1. Eating one meal a day is the best way to lose weight.
Your body needs fuel, energy from food. Starving yourself is one of
the worst possible diet traps. You will either eat far too much when
you do sit down for a meal or the rapid drop in your blood sugar level
will force you to eat snacks, chocolate and crisps. Aim to eat 3-5 times
a day, small meals. Don't overload your system.
2. 100 Sit-Ups a day will give you a flat stomach.
All the sit-ups in the world will not flatten that tum if there's fat
there! Fat stored around the abdominal area and hips is normal. Spot
reducing exercises do nothing to shift fat. Aim to burn excess fat with
regular aerobic exercise 3-5 times a week as well as daily muscle strengthening
exercises for the tum.
3. Eating bread, potatoes, rice and pasta is fattening!
BIG mistake. They are vital staple foods. Carbohydrates that fuel your
body for constant energy. It's what goes on top that is fattening! Find
low fat high protein or vegetable based toppings to keep slim.. Avoid
cheeses, cream and butter.
4. Low calorie products mean low fat.
Not always. Check food label contents for the proportion of fat, especially
saturated fats (red meat, butter, cream, ice cream) which easily turn
into body fat. Keep your daily fat intake to less than 30 grams a day
of which you should keep saturated fats as low as possible, around 10%
.
5. Exercise makes you hungry!
Wrong again! Regular exercise helps control your appetite. If you only
eat junk food all day or a chocolate bar before a workout your body
will soon yearn for some slow release real energy food such as bread,
pasta, potatoes. As high fat and sugary food stimulates the appetite.
6. Thin is healthy.
That Supermodel look is not healthy. Most models are underweight, being
underweight is a health risk. Recent studies have shown that skin disorders,
fertility problems, cancers, heart disease and osteoporosis can be caused
by not eating enough essential nutrients and essential fats.
7. Should I be the weight on those weight and height guide charts?
No. Chuck them away along with the bathroom scales! Forget about your
perfect weight. Regular exercise combined with a low fat, high carbohydrate
diet will turn you into a leaner, trimmer you. Remember muscle weighs
more than fat so don't panic for a year when you find you're 2-3 sizes
smaller and weigh several kilos more!
8. I can't get fit as I don't have time and can't afford to go to a
club 3 times a week.
All you need is commitment. You have time to watch TV and socialise
so there's no excuse. Even taking 30-40 minutes out of one day for a
fast walk will rev up your metabolic rate and burn off the fat. A total
fat free diet is not healthy. Resulting in nutrient deficiency essential
for health. From hormones to bone mass essential fatty acids are vital
for good long term health. Fat enables the body to utilise fat soluble
vitamins A, D, E and K, maintain a normal body temperature and have
healthy skin. This doesn't mean to say you can eat masses of fatty foods,
you still have to help lower your body fat intake. Avoid fatty meats,
cut off visible fat, choose low fat yoghurts, cheese and semi skimmed
milk. Avoid salads drenched in dressings and mayonnaise.
You know what to do. Just do it!
9. The harder and faster you workout the more fat you burn as you workout.
Go for the 'No pain no gain'.
Big mistake. This is a very old training attitude. Your body has two
energy systems. One is the aerobic fat burning system which likes you
to do long cautious exercise e.g. endurance workouts such as fastwalking,
jogging, cycling, stepping, aerobic dance lasting 20 minutes upwards,
and the anaerobic system which allows you to have explosive energy for
sprinting, rapid movements and strength tasks. Workout to pain only
leads to joint and ligament injury. Pushing your body to pain leads
to cramp, extreme muscle soreness and discomfort. Workout at an intensity
that you can just about take. Avoid muscle burning feelings. Muscle
overload is slightly uncomfortable but it does not leave you with a
piercing hot pain.