My goal with this blog has always been to give you tips on fast safe weight loss.
There are so many weight loss myths out there it’s really hard to decipher the real ones from the fake ones. Everyone wants to learn how to shed weight fast but there are many pitfalls in our way to reaching that goal. You’ve all heard or read some of the myths below but today we’ll take a look at how people have come to believe some of these weight loss myths and how we can change their mind about them.
If you are trying to lose weight and you are just not getting the results you were expecting, it could very well be because you fell for one of these health myths that people like to gossip about. Some people even resort to weight loss medication before they know all of the facts about weight loss and dieting myths.
If you’re one of the many people that continue to tell themselves “I cannot lose weight” then this is the post for you. Here are some of the most common health and weight loss myths that can lead people astray in the quest to get in shape.
Thinking You Can Never Drink Another Drop of Alcohol
I get it. When you start a new diet, it’s easy to fall for the idea that you can never drink alcohol again. If you are a person that has no negative issues regarding alcohol consumption, then I am here to give you some great news. You can still drink alcohol and get in shape. Just like anything else though, it needs to be in moderation, and it needs to be under control.
One of the biggest health myths is that alcohol will always lead to weight gain. That’s like saying that a hamburger will always lead to weight gain. If you are able to drink alcohol in moderation and not go overboard, you can absolutely have a drink or two while on a healthy diet. It’s the same with a hamburger. If you have one every once in awhile, you’re not going to see any detrimental effects on your waistline. If you have three hamburgers a day, then don’t be surprised if you gain some weight.
Not being able to drink alcohol is one of the most common health myths because of two things. The first being that people often do not drink alcohol in moderation. If you cannot drink alcohol without finishing off a 12-pack to yourself, then no, you cannot drink alcohol and maintain a healthy diet. If you are able to hold your drinking to 1 – 3 drinks a week, then yes, you can drink alcohol and maintain a healthy diet.
The second reason that not being able to drink alcohol is one of the weight loss myths, is that you need to be in control. This goes along with the first reason, but if you can’t control yourself while you drink, you are much more likely to eat anything on the menu at the bar. Those chili cheese fries would normally be a big no-no for your diet, but with a little bit of alcohol influence, you might find yourself forgetting about everything you’ve worked so hard for and taking down a whole plate of fries with a side of spicy wings. If you’re on a diet for weight loss, just keep the alcohol in check.
Feeling Like You Have to Starve Yourself to Make Progress
This is another one of the common health myths out there and it is the opposite of fast safe weight loss. Good weight loss programs should never have you starve yourself. People seem to think that they need to starve themselves to lose weight. I suppose I can understand how people might start believing this myth. If you think of food as simply being the cause of weight gain, then it’s easy to assume that having less of it would prevent weight gain. What most people don’t understand is that starving yourself is the absolute worst thing you can do.
When you starve your body, it goes into defense mode and decides that any calories it receives next will be stored as fat. It also slows your metabolism down. When you are eating regularly, your body stays on the offensive and keeps your metabolism at a high rate to burn fat. So never fall for this weight loss myth, it will always lead you astray.
Snacking Will Make You Fat
This is yet another one of the common weight loss myths out there. People often think that snacking on food is the number one reason they are getting fat. Now the key to understanding this myth is defining the word “snacking”. If you define the word “snacking” as continuously eating everything in your sight in the course of an hour, then yes, this type of “snacking” will cause weight gain.
On the other hand, if you define “snacking” as eating small amounts of food sparingly throughout the day, then this type of “snacking” will not only prevent weight gain but it will raise your metabolism through the roof. Your stomach can only process a certain amount of nutrients in one sitting and it stores the rest as fat. If you consume an entire pizza in an hour, your body will use the first three slices as fuel and store the rest as fat. If you consume an entire pizza in intervals of 2 slices over the course of 12 hours, your body will use each of those 2 slices as fuel over the course of two to three hours and without the extra surplus of nutrients, your body will prevent the storage of fat.
The “Freshman 15” Is Real
No, it isn’t. The “Freshman 15” refers to gaining 15 pounds of weight when freshmen first enter college. This myth can be applied to nearly anything though. It started with college students but many people have adopted this myth into their daily lives. These days it can be called the “Vacation 15” or “Summer 15”. This myth just stands for some people as an excuse for gaining weight. Unfortunately, this is one of the worst healthy myths that prevent weight loss. People start to believe that they have no choice in the matter and they succumb to the thought of letting themselves go because they think it is only a matter of time.
No matter if you are starting college, going on vacation, or enjoying the summer, you can absolutely choose not to gain weight. There is no science to back up the “Freshman 15”, all it is is a state of mind regarding your health and fitness and you can easily prevent it. Do not fall for this health myth by choosing to continue to make healthy nutrition choices. Fast safe weight loss comes down to making the right food choices for a lifetime.
Weighing Yourself Every Day Will Discourage You
I understand that it can be hard to be honest with yourself sometimes and step on the cold scale in the bathroom but weighing yourself every day is one of the easiest ways to make sure you are staying in shape. Although it is still one of the health myths, some people feel that weighing yourself every day can lead to depression or obsession and if you feel that way then I will give you a break with this tip. But if weighing yourself doesn’t make you depressed or obsessed, it can definitely keep you on track and motivated to reach all your health and fitness goals. Any of the diets to lose weight you choose should be encouraging about stepping on a scale.
So if you have been trying to lose weight for some time now, take a look at some of these myths and see if any of them are preventing you from getting in the shape you want to be in. Being healthy and losing weight is something that always takes time and each and every person has a learning curve for what works best for them. There is no need to opt for weight loss surgery or taking weight loss pills. If you’ve ever said to yourself “I need help losing weight” these little bits of advice can ultimately have a huge impact on the way you see your health and your weight loss goals.