The Internet might have taught you a thing or two when it comes to fat loss or weight loss. However, not everything you see on the screen is scientifically proven and beneficial for you. Just as certain nutraceutical (zeera/ajwain/kalonji etc) and herb-infused drinks do not supposedly melt the belly fat away. Sadly, people are following some fat loss myths that have surfaced on the internet.
Are you trying to get rid of the stubborn fat too but getting nowhere? Make sure you are not falling prey to these myths.
1. Avoid Carbs At All Costs
First thing you might have heard when it comes to fat loss would be roti chor do, chawal chor do. On a low carb diet, you will lose some weight initially because you have literally omitted an entire food group but sooner or later, your body will most likely hit a plateau, meaning, you won’t lose any more weight. In most cases, your body is going to regain the weight you lost because of omitting an entire food group, i.e., carbohydrates.
Just know that carbohydrate-rich food (roti, bread, porridge, cereal, fruit, vegetable, beans & lentils) are the foundation of a healthy eating pattern.
Hence, MYTH BUSTED!
2. Long Hours Of Starvation Or Just Have 1-2 Meals Per Day
Skipping meals is the worst myth one can follow in order to lose weight. Skipping meals and having long hours of starvation will only slow your metabolism which can ultimately lead to weight gain. Yes, you heard it right. You might actually be gaining weight because of skipping meals or not following a proper eating routine.
As per Dietitian’s recommendation, you should be having a healthy snack or a mini-meal every 3-4 hours during the day. Not only will it keep your metabolism boosted throughout the day but it will also provide necessary nutrients to your body
Hence, MYTH BUSTED!
3. Rigorous Exercise or Eat Less, Move More
As cool as it sounds, this practice will only make you lose your muscle mass because of high intensity. The fact that you are actually not consuming enough as per your hard exercise, you may actually become malnourished.
Hence, MYTH BUSTED!
4. Going Gluten-Free
The term does look quite fancy and many non-health influencers are actually promoting it for weight loss on no solid grounds. Let me break it to you, omitting an entire food group should never be an option for weight loss because you will miss out on all the variety of nutrients it has. Going Gluten-free means you would be consuming only a few selective carbs which will ultimately lead to lesser fibre intake as well. On a low fibre diet, your brain will constantly signal you to crave sugar and other confectionery items making your diet way too difficult.
Well, if you have medical illnesses like celiac disease or gluten intolerance then you might really need to avoid gluten as per your doctor or dietitian’s recommendation.
Hence, MYTH BUSTED!
5. Eat Whatever You Like As Long As You Are In A Calorie-Deficit
Calorie deficit is the most logical strategy for fat loss, that’s true. But, it does not give you full leverage to eat almost anything. Calorie is a single unit of energy but different food items metabolize differently in the body.
For example, 60 calories from 1 medium apple would provide multiple nutrients to the body as compared to 60 calories from 1 small candy. Similarly, 1 white bread worth 75-80 calories would not really give you enough satiety as compared to 1 wholewheat or multigrain bread worth 75-80 calories.
You need to eat proper meals and snacks that have good proportion of protein, carbohydrate, healthy fat, fibre, vitamins & minerals.
Hence, MYTH BUSTED!
