If you type “Weight Loss” into your search bar you will be bombarded with fad diets, magic pills, cleanses, and so many other tips, tricks, or scams. How can you tell what is the truth? How can you tell what will work? It’s frustrating to have to filter through these results. The trial and error that can come from each technique can make it seem impossible to lose weight.
Here are some myths about weight loss to help you avoid scams and to find things that are more likely to be beneficial than harmful!
Juice Cleanses are known as a way to quickly lose weight and to detox. BUT even though there is a calorie reduction, there is also a lot of liquid sugar. This can spike the blood sugar and cause weight gain. Juice cleanses also starves your body of some necessary nutrients for daily functions. This deprivation is never a good idea. Long-term damage such as slowing down your metabolism can be a side effect of this “cleanse”. Your body can go into conservation mode because it doesn’t know when it’s going to receive its next meal. Detox your system by eating clean for a little while instead!
Too low of a calorie cut for too long can have the opposite effect. Your body will be deprived of some valuable calories and macronutrients. Under eating is just as dangerous as over-eating. This can lead to nutritional deficiencies. This can also cause your body to burn and lose muscle mass while slowing down your metabolic rate. Both are not beneficial for long-term weight loss and your overall health.
Exercising to lose weight and you can still eat what you want. As much as we would love for this to be the truth, sadly it isn’t. Exercise does have many beneficial reasons behind it but unfortunately; weight loss is not one of them. For more information and a better explanation, refer back to our post Exercise and Weight loss.
You can sweat out fat. No, you actually cannot. Turning to a steam room or sauna might cause you to drop a few pounds but it’s only temporary water weight that you’re losing. So if you have an upcoming event the next day, maybe this could be a quick solution to drop some extra pounds. Sadly, a salty or processed meal or a glass of wine will make those pounds come back again.
Try avoiding these suggestions when looking for weight loss tips. Simply clean eating and correct portion sizes can make a dramatic change without having to try fad diets, depriving your body, or gross juice cleanses.
