When it comes to losing weight, there’s no denying that food and fitness myths are everywhere. Weights make you bulky, carbs are the enemy, you have to exercise in the morning to see results—separating the fact from all of this fiction can get pretty complicated. So, fitness expert Sam Woods is here to help you cut through the confusion and highlight the five biggest weight loss myths you need to stop believing, like now.
#1 Constant cardio is key
Gone are the days of thinking that slogging away for hours on the treadmill is the only way to shed kilos. In fact, not only is this type of training time-consuming but performing the same repetitive movements day in, day out can start to become ineffective. I’m always saying that variety is truly the spice of life. So, to lose fat fast and keep it off in the long run, ensuring you have a diverse routine that includes a mix of cardio, resistance training and HIIT will see greater results than the same repetitive cardio routine.
#2 You need to count calories to see results
One of the biggest myths from the last five decades, this one stems from the old ‘calorie fallacy’ that says the key to weight loss is to focus on calorie intake versus calorie output. The thing is, all calories are not created equal and this tunnel vision approach encourages a combination of starving yourself and excessive exercise all in an effort to reach a calorie deficit. The good news is, if your nutrition consists of whole foods and real ingredients, there’s no need to count your calories so you can kick this myth to the curb. Remember, food should be enjoyed, not counted. You’ll never have a healthy relationship with food if you’re counting every mouthful.
#3 You can out-train a poor diet
I’m always amazed when I see new clients who think they can lose weight and eat whatever they want as long as they’re working out. They’re under the misconception that the processed foods, chocolate and lollies in their diets can be out-trained and the harsh reality is, they can’t! I’m all for enjoying a treat meal from time to time, but if you are consistently eating these kinds of foods it’s an uphill battle you will never win. So, when weight loss is the aim of the game, remember that training and nutrition are of equal importance. After all, abs might strengthen in the gym but they’re definitely made in the kitchen!
#4 Eating fat makes you fat
Fat has been given a seriously bad rap—and there’s no wonder, for years we were told it was the enemy! The truth is, eating fat won’t make you fat. In fact I’m always telling my clients that fat is an important part of your diet as it delivers vitamins, gives you a source of fuel and energy and a feeling of satiety. The key is all about eating the right ones, so stop fearing fat and make sure you’re having a variety of good fats like nuts, seeds, salmon and avocados.
#5 The more you train, the better
When it comes to training for weight loss, I’m a big believer that consistency, variety and intensity will beat volume every single time. This means focusing on the quality of a workout rather than the quantity and remembering that the key to weight loss isn’t training harder, but smarter. So, I want you to ditch the mentality that spending 2 hours at the gym is the only way to see results and remember that shorter bursts of intense training like a boxing class or quick at home workout, will always be more effective and efficient.
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