With so many different stories floating around pertaining to weight loss, it is no wonder people are confused. The key is being able to weed through the information and then determine what is and is not true. For instance, it is true that drinking eight glasses of water a day, consuming a balanced diet, and exercising are all great ways of losing weight. However, as you are about to discover, a number of misconceptions are out there that need to be understood.
For instance, most of us have heard the old saying, “No pain – no gain”, meaning when you workout, unless you reach a point of pain, you are not benefiting. Well, the truth is that you do not have to be in pain to be making great progress. In fact, if you are exercising the correct way, you should have little to no soreness the next day. Most professional trainers will tell you that if you begin to feel pain, stop. Exercise is an important part of losing weight so you want it to be fun and enjoyable, not a painful experience.
Another untruth is associated with women and free weights. For some reason, many women still believe that working out with free weights will make them look bulked up and manly. Again, if lighter weights are used, the female body would experience toning and defined muscles, not bulk. You need to remember that a man and woman’s body is very different. Men are naturally more muscular so when they work out with weights, the body responds in a different way than what a woman’s body would do. Sure, women can work out with heavier weights on a schedule for bulking up but just because weights are used, does not mean becoming overly muscular.
We also hear people say that if they exercise on an empty stomach, more calories are burned. I am not quite sure where this came from but it is an interested, although untrue concept. The truth is that to lose weight through exercise, the body needs fuel. For this reason, I will eat a bowl of pasta for carbohydrates prior to running or walking a race. You should put the right food into the body prior to exercising, which will help eliminate dizziness or nausea. Usually, eating something small such as a granola bar, piece of fruit, or again, a small bowl of pasta about 10 minutes before working out will provide a much more effective session.
Finally, a story has been circulating for a long time that to build muscle, protein is needed. While it is true that protein is great for a strong, healthy body, if you consume too much protein, you will be putting your body at risk for health issues to include strain on the kidney. For this reason, I have personally had concern about the fad diet in which people eat tons of protein, which is hard on the body. The bottom line is that to lose weight, the best thing you can do is keep to a healthy intake of food and exercise daily.
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