10 biggest fat-loss lies for guys

(MensFitnessFocus.com) We’ve all heard scores of “tricks” and “techniques” that are supposed to spur near-instantaneous fat loss and, to be fair, not a few of us have tried them, only to fail and feel like we were suckered once again.

Well, for better or for worse – and to ensure you don’t fall for another false promise in the future – here are the 10 biggest fibs when it comes to guys losing weight:

#1 You can believe what you read in the magazines.

Unfortunately not.  And without going on for hours here is the condensed reason why.  MONEY!  Take most of the major fitness magazines for example.  Each of these magazines has articles, editorials and advertisements for the latest and greatest in fat burning products.  Ever notice they’re all from the one company.  Why?  Because that magazine owns that company and all they are doing is using the magazine to promote their own product.  Magazines have just become the forum by which supplement companies generate their huge revenues.

#2 The only natural weight loss method is starvation.

Starvation will actually cause you to gain weight in the long run.  Yes it is true that you have to burn more calories than you eat.  But this doesn’t mean starving yourself.  If you drop your calorie intake dramatically your metabolic rate actually slows down and therefore you burn much less fat.  Your body as a response increases your appetite to try to get you to eat more calories.  Because you deplete your fat stores so quickly your body feeds off your muscles. Then when you eventually do start eating again your body, in anticipation of being starved of nutrients again will store everything it possibly can and therefore result in rapid weight gain again but this time without any muscle tissue- so you have just increased your body fat percentage.

#3 The diet pill is the secret.

People fail to realize the dangers of diet or appetite suppressing pills.  Effectively they stop you from eating by making you feel full.  The problem with this is that there are no nutrients entering your body.  Your body’s response is to slow the metabolic rate to decrease fat burning.  Prolonged use can have the same effect as starvation.  And then, like starvation, as soon as you begin eating again your weight rises rapidly because your body begins to store fat again in anticipation of the next starvation period.

#4 All I need is a shake for breakfast, lunch and tea!

Meal replacement shakes are nothing more than supplements for an inadequate diet.  The problem with them is that the body was never designed to live off liquid lunches.  If they have been formulated correctly then they are invariably very low in calories.  If your diet is too deficient in calories remember point 2- starvation.  Meal replacement shakes also effectively eliminate the thermic value you get from consuming food and therefore slow your metabolism.

#5 All fat is bad.

It all depends on the type of fat.  There are good and bad fats.  The good fats, poly-unsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats can actually help reduce the risk of heart disease, cardiovascular problems and blood pressure problems.  On the other hand, the BAD fats are the Saturated Fats and Trans-Fatty Acids which can be found in many of the deep fried, processed foods that flood today’s market.  Fats are essential for our body to function correctly, you just have to know which ones to choose.

#6 Fat becomes muscle.

It is physiologically impossible to turn muscle into fat and vice versa.  They are two completely separate types of tissue.  If the muscles aren’t being trained then the body gets rid of the muscle tissue and therefore there is more room to store fat.  The fat tends to be stored on top of your muscle tissue and therefore you lose your definition.  However, when you train and build muscle you burn fat and subsequently the fatty deposits over your muscles shrink.  Muscle takes up less room than fat so as you build muscle you can find that you tend to trim down.  You cannot turn one into the other.

#7 Constant water consumption makes you bloated.

Water is one of the key players in metabolism, digestion and hunger control.  None of these bodily systems function correctly without a sufficient level of water provided constantly to the body.  The reason you feel bloated is that your body is not used to receiving the correct amount of water and so, like starvation, it retains the water and gives you that bloated feeling.  If you regularly drink water then your body gets used to receiving a constant flow and therefore realises it doesn’t need to retain water, flushing your system and making the bloated feeling disappear.

#8 I am genetically fat.

It doesn’t matter what you metabolism or genetic disposition is like.  The scientific facts are simple.  If you burn more calories than you consume you lose weight.  And if you eat less more often you keep your metabolism working at a higher rate for longer, therefore putting your body into a fat burning state for longer and giving you more energy.

#9 I have to do hours of cardio to burn fat.

Once again this is not the case.  It all comes down to intensity.  If you are doing very low intensity exercise (walking) then your body isn’t working hard to burn energy (fat) and therefore fat loss is very slow.  If on the other hand you perform high-intensity exercise you are forcing your body to work hard, your energy stores are depleted quicker and your body subsequently enters the fat burning zone quicker.  You don’t need to train for hours, 20-30 minutes of high intensity training may be all that is required.

#10 Performing a thousand crunches will flatten my stomach.

You cannot “area target” fat loss through exercise.  You see the body has certain places it finds it easier to store fat.  For men it is usually the stomach area whilst women it is usually the hips and thighs.  But you can do no abdominal work at all and still see a reduction in your waistline.  Training all parts of your body will burn fat from all those storage areas, not just one.

Reporting by Paul James, ExpertArticles.com.

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