Ten Fat-Loss Myths Debunked

Written by: James Travis
Written on: March 1, 2007

With so many fad diets, fat-loss pills, and truly ridiculous (and sometimes dangerous) exercise equipment being peddled today I think it’s time to cut through all of the unnecessary stuff that makes fat-loss and fitness seem more daunting of a task than it actually is; and perhaps remove the doubt that may be causing some mental barriers to getting started down the road of a more healthier life.

So with that in mind, I have taken the ten most common fat-loss myths that I have come into contact with and have debunked them for your reading pleasure, and I’m sure that none of us will shed a tear to see these myths gone.

Myth #1: I need to lift heavy weights to lose fat

This is bar-none the most common myth I hear repeated so very often… and in my younger years, I too believed this lie to my own detriment.

While it is true that the more muscle a person has, the more calories they burn, the most efficient calorie burner is lots of cardio-vascular exercise such as running, supersets, and athletic or sporting activities. It is not so much the weight that is important, but continual physical activity with minimal rest periods that will produce the greatest results.

Myth #2: I need to deprive myself of food to lose fat

Not so. In-fact, depriving yourself of food is not only unhealthy and dangerous, but will actually end up causing you to gain more fat because your body will (correctly) think it is starving and go into a survival mode where it will hold on to everything it can get… including fat.

The correct method of approach is not to eliminate food, but eliminate the bad food while simultaneously increasing the good food.

In previous articles I point out some general rules for judging which foods are bad and which are good, so I won’t go into great detail here; but a quick tip is that any food that is not natural, your body will generally not know what to do with and so it will not process it as efficiently, and so I advocate all natural organic foods.

Myth #3: I exercise a lot, so I can eat whatever I want as much as I want and still lose fat

On the other end of the spectrum from the previous myth, I hear this one quite a bit as well, and some young people with very high metabolisms might be able to pull it off for now, but I can guarantee those individuals that it will catch up to them when they get older and there metabolism starts to slow.

The simple fact is that – as stated in the previous myth – our bodies can not process artificial ingredients the same way, or as efficiently as all natural foods, so why put extra strain on the body? What you feed the body is generally what you get out of it and so I am a big supporter of feeding it the right fuel for the job and not eating purely for taste.

Besides that, there is a simple fact that the body’s metabolism slows down throughout the day, and takes a large downward curve after 7 p.m. generally, so I try to eat my largest meal for breakfast when I want to keep the metabolism high, and my smallest meal for dinner when I know it is slower. In this way I am not loading myself with a bunch of food when my metabolism is already slowed.

Myth #4: I can use this new diet pill to lose fat without any work

Not true. The next time you see an advertisement for some great new diet pill, I challenge you to read the fine print; you will see two things… “Results not typical” and/or “along with diet and exercise”.

The simple truth is that no pill is truly necessary to achieve fat loss, or everyone would’ve been overly fat before the modern pharmaceutical was invented. Pills will never be able to take the place of good old-fashioned healthy diet and exercise, nor the will-power and self-control to say “no thanks” to a dessert we all get tempted with.

Myth #5: I need to buy expensive machines or other equipment to exercise properly and lose fat

Not at all. No single exercise or group of exercises is a magic bullet that will solve all fitness problems. The key is to diversify and keep fresh your exercise routine from week to week, and that gets awfully hard with a piece of equipment or machinery that only performs a few exercises (or sometimes one!).

And to be perfectly honest, I very rarely use any machines; most of my exercise is pure cardio and super-setting routines such as pushup, sit-up, crunches and medicine ball variations.

Myth #6: I need supplements to lose fat

Not really. Much like diet pills, supplements are exactly that, supplemental. The real work is still done by diet and exercise. Do not be deceived by all of the advertisements and hype surrounding the latest diet or muscle building fad. Remember that there places are still business and they will say almost anything to make a sale, and most of what they say is recanted in the fine-print anyway.

Myth #7: Exercise doesn’t work, I’ve tried it before

That’s the problem right there. Please do not simply “try it out”. A healthy lifestyle must truly be a lifestyle. There must be life-long change and a commitment to do the right things and make the right choices. A destination can not be reached if one stops in the middle of the journey.

Myth #8: I just can’t do it! I don’t have the willpower!

I understand how it may seem that way, especially in this age where we have constant bombardments of fatty, unhealthy foods and truly decadent desserts shoved in our faces constantly on Television, billboards, magazines and even radio.

The way to stay in control is to realize that first of all, that your body does not actually need any of those things. You must flip the switch from “eating for taste” to “eating for necessity”. Recognize that you do not need the cake, but that you simply want the cake, and that the cake simply has no place within your new healthy lifestyle.

And I can promise you this, at first the temptation to splurge on unhealthy foods will be very powerful, but as you continue to fight, it will lose its strength and it will become easier, but it is up to you to maintain the fight. Advertisers will not stop tossing ads for these foods at you; the responsibility is yours… but you can do it!

Myth #9: I don’t need to exercise now. I want to enjoy life while I’m young and worry about health later in life

This is a very common myth that many young people life to regret. It is never too early to begin healthy life habits. The simple fact – as mentioned earlier – is that it becomes harder to lose those extra fat pounds later in life as the metabolism simply slows down due to the natural process of aging. No it is not impossible to lose fat later… but it does become harder, and once you are used to a life of excess, placing restraints later will be much harder to cope with, why would you want to do that to yourself?

Myth #10: I am too old to exercise and get healthy now

This myth is typically heard by the older person who started out using myth #9.

Simply put, this is never the case. One is never to old and it is never too late to start improving your health and fitness through healthy diet and exercise. I personally know people who are in their 60’s and 70’s and are in better shape than when they were teenagers. It simply takes dedication, determination and self-control. And yes some of you may think those are dirty words, but they are important characteristics of success (in anything).

Conclusion

So now with these myths exposed and called for what they are, it is my sincere wish that more people will see that the barriers to their goals of a healthier life are not so daunting as what they once appeared. It is true that you can accomplish your goals and dreams as long as you persevere and work hard for it.

Will it be hard at times? Yes. Will you struggle? Yes. Will it be worth it in the end? Yes. Just don’t let fear or worry or doubt stop you, be strong, and Rise to the Challenge!