Are you working your butt off but still fat? I hear so many people complain about doing all the right things but not losing weight. This all leads to feeling frustrated, being overwhelmed and eventually the ‘forget this’ attitude that then leads to eating the whole bag of chips. Sound familiar?
If so, then maybe you’re buying into these four myths.
Myth #1: If I eat fat, I’ll get fat.
Truth: Incorporating healthy fats into your diet will actually help you lose fat. Eating fat from sources like avocados, olives and coconuts can actually help you increase your metabolism, keep you full longer and each your body how to burn fat when you remove sugar from your diet. Choose fats like nuts, seeds, fatty fish, eggs, full fat yogurt and grass-fed beef. Remember, that non-fat foods actually have crazy high level of sugars and it’s sugar that makes you fat.
Myth #2: I need to do tons of cardio to burn fat.
Truth: While cardio burns calories, if you want to burn fat, choose HIIT (high-intensity interval training). Incorporating HIIT into your workouts will make your body and metabolism function at a higher rate of burned calories for hours and hours afterward. So yes, you could be reading AND burning fat at the same time! Lifting weights will also help you increase your resting metabolism. When you have more lean muscle on your body, your metabolism increases. This basically means you could be burning fat while sitting and watching Netflix.
Myth #3: I need to significantly reduce my calorie intake.
Truth: This is actually partially true. The reality is, we eat too much. Take a look at how much you actually consume in a day. We often underestimate how much we eat and overestimate how much we burn. And ultimately to lose fat, you do need to be in a calorie deficit. The calories you take in need to be nutrient dense meaning that they are full of the good stuff the body needs. Not empty calories from things like non-fat foods, processed foods, sugar, and pop.
Ultimately, what you eat is truly the most important factor when losing fat. Be sure to eat a diet high in lean proteins (whatever your source), vegetables, healthy fats, and carbs from plant sources. Don’t forget to move your body daily, get plenty of uninterrupted sleep, reduce your stress levels and you will find the weight will drop off.
Myth #4: It’s too late to start.
Truth: SO NOT TRUE! It’s never too late to start an exercise program or healthy eating! We CAN reverse the damage done AND move forward feeling better than we ever have! The trick is to get help! You can’t do it alone. Grab a friend and just start walking every day. Hire a trainer. Workout with a YouTube workout. Or join a program that will help you get there.
No matter what you choose, you can start today! Right now!!!
If you have not taken the time to invest in yourself yet, today is the day.
Fawn Gill is the Group Fitness Manager of Steve Nash Fitness Clubs for the North Shore. She is a Certified Personal Trainer, Fitness instructor, Pilates Instructor, Barre instructor & Accountability Coach. Fawn has over 25 years experience teaching others the benefits of living healthy and has helped thousands of people lose weight & get fit. Check her out at www.fawngillfitness.com