Weight loss is commonly a goal for a lot of women in today’s society. There’s nothing wrong with having this goal, as long as you’re doing it for yourself and not for the sake of others. One of the reasons it’s typically a female goal is that we often go through weight fluctuations. I’m mainly thinking about pregnancy, where you will put on a lot of weight and want to lose it.
Regardless, too many women fall victim to weight loss myths circulating online. If you want to see results without hurting yourself in the process, these are the myths you should stop believing:
You need to follow a strict and limited diet
I’m sure you’ve all seen a ‘typical’ weight loss diet. You sit down to eat, and all you have is a small portion of salad with no dressing. You cut carbs from your diet, you never allow yourself any treats, and you might even skip meals. Or, even worse, you replace all your food with shakes and smoothies!
All of these ideas are unfounded and based on a lack of logic. The idea behind all of them is to restrict your calories, therefore making you lose weight. While that might happen, it’s wildly unhealthy and impossible to sustain. You may see initial results, but you can’t keep it up. Instead, you can achieve your goals by following a balanced diet. As long as you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight!
Cardio is the only way to lose weight
Cardio training is an effective weight-loss tactic that definitely works. However, this leaves a lot of women avoiding weights entirely. This is a bad thing as weight training can be highly beneficial. For one, it will help you burn more calories and lose more weight over a longer period! Secondly, it builds muscle tone, which helps you get stronger and improves your daily life.
Add some weight training to your regular fitness routine if you want to see improved weight loss results. Target the large muscle groups as this helps you burn more calories. You don’t have to train your entire body every day – split it up over a week. One day you can do a chest dumbbell workout; the next you do legs, etc. Weight training builds muscle, and muscle requires more energy to maintain than fat. Long story short, you burn more calories every day – even when you don’t train – if you have good muscle development!
Weight loss pills help you lose weight
Technically they do, but not in a good way at all. Legal weight loss pills will basically do one thing: get rid of fluids. Yes, you can imagine what that entails, and it’s not pretty. You’ll be on the toilet a lot, and you’ll see a difference when you step on the scales. However, you’re losing water weight, not actual body fat.
Illegal weight loss pills may help you burn more fat, but they’re illegal for a reason! It’s best to stay clear of anything that claims to help you lose weight, as there’s almost always a caveat of sorts.
Overall, if you avoid these weight loss myths, you’ll be in a much better position to see positive results. Losing weight is all about managing your activity levels and your diet. If you burn more calories than you eat, you’ll burn fat!