5 Myths Sabotaging Your Fat Loss

We've all been there, scouring the Internet searching to find the perfect "diet" or exercise program to tone our bodies, lose weight and feel comfortable + confident in our own skin.

But with all the buzz about fat loss, trendy diets and quick fixes, you're probably on information overload when it comes to figuring out what actually works and what's total BS.

If you're tired of being fooled and ready to learn what really works, what doesn't and how you can FINALLY get the results you've been working for, look no further!

Keep reading now to discover if you are sabotaging your results with these 5 common misconceptions about health, fitness and dieting:

MYTH #1. CARDIO IS BETTER THAN WEIGHTS

SPOILER ALERT: Want to tone your arms, legs and tushy? Incorporate weights into your exercise routine STAT (no worries, RF's got you covered)!

There's no denying cardio burns calories but strength training is the more effective tool for fat loss and it burns more calories.

This is due to the “After Burn Effect.” Strength training doesn't just burn calories during the training session but after the session is over! We're talking up to 36 hours post exercise!

Cardio… does not. When you strength train, you build muscle and muscles burn more calories than fat.

Quick math: the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn!

MYTH #2. CARBS MAKE YOU FAT

SPOILER ALERT: Carbs don't make you fat. Gaining body fat happens when you eat too many calories of anything -- NOT the amount of carbs or fat you eat.

Now, if you eat more calories than you burn, and those calories come from carbs or fat, you can absolutely gain fat.

BUT, gaining that fat will be the result of a caloric surplus (eating too much).

Most people think carbs (and fats) are bad. However, not all carbs and fats are created equal! Smart carbs and fantastic fats are very good for you and something your body actually needs - hear us out:

Smart Carbohydrates (fruit, beans, whole grains, potatoes, etc.) are a vital energy source for the body. Fat (nuts, seeds, oil, butters, dairy, avocado) is vital for energy, hormone balance and vitamin transport.

Your body NEEDS both and it's about eating the right kinds of "smart carbs" or "fantastic fats" listed above.

When people go on "low carb diets", they're making changes and consuming less calories. You don't have to "diet" to consume less calories or refrain from enjoying carbs. You just need to modify your portions (consume less calories than you burn) and eat the proper, nutrient heavy foods!

MYTH #3 FOOD LABELS CAN BE TRUSTED

SPOILER ALERT: Foods advertised as low fat, low sugar, reduced fat, reduced sugar or no sugar added are not healthier - we promise!

The fat (which tastes good) is just replaced with other additives - like sugar - so they still taste really good.

Bottom line, a label reading “no added sugar” doesn’t mean all that much if the product contains loads of other additives to make it taste good. It's sleazy marketing 101.

If that's really true (we promise it is!) then how do you know which foods are the very best for you?

Easy! Eat Real Food - that's food in its natural state that hasn't been chemically altered or processed to make it taste good. Stock up on colorful fruits + veggies, and lean proteins like chicken, turkey, eggs, shrimp, salmon or grass fed beef.

MYTH #4. EATING SMALLER MEALS HELPS YOUR METABOLISM

SPOILER ALERT: It doesn’t matter whether you eat 6 small meals or 3 larger meals, if the food you consumed was of equal amounts.

**For Instance:

6 meals at 300 calories each = 1,800 calories
3 meals at 600 calories each = 1,800 calories

Your body doesn’t burn more calories simply because you are eating more often. What matters is how much you are eating in each day, week, month, and year. If you eat more calories than you burn, that's when you gain weight and / or body fat.

If you want to lose weight or fit in your clothes better, you need to be burning more calories that you're eating. This means stick within the recommended portions.

MYTH #5. DETOXES ARE GOOD FOR YOU

SPOILER ALERT: They aren't. Ever notice none of these detox programs name the toxins they are ridding your body of?

Drinking an excessive amount of any liquid is just going to make you pee out excess water weight. So, if you slug a detox drink for a few days and notice the scale went down, you're just extracting water from your body.....not actual weight or body fat.

Detoxes aren't necessary 'cause they don't work AND your body's already doing this for you! Your liver, kidneys and lymphatic system are a built-in detox system, and if these bad boys are not working, you will know what a hospital bed feels like real soon.

Bottom line - don't let tricky marketing campaigns fool ya into thinking veggie straw chips are real veggies or there is a magic diet pill to make all your health and fitness wishes come true.

Instead, let a trusted Coach help you. Your Results Fitness team is always here to shed light on common myths, misconceptions and other marketing trickery that trips us all up! Contact us now if you have questions…even if you just stumbled across this blog and aren’t sure how you got here.