Myths about being in good shape

Published on February 03, 2022 By Gentle Touch | Last updated on February 03, 2022

There are many beliefs and myths in sports and nutrition that have been spreading for a long time. Over the last few years, many myths and false beliefs have spread to achieve a good figure. Mainly these myths are related to sports and nutrition. This is why we must always consider what best suits our body and always choose quality nutrition training.  

This article shares some myths about being in great shape that could make us feel confused.  

Sweat to lose weight  

Even today, there is a belief that we will lose more weight if we sweat a lot during exercise. Some people use too many clothes, waterproof clothing, girdles to increase their body temperature and use the sauna as a means of losing weight. Combined with less fluid intake, these actions lead to the impression of much greater weight loss. 

We run the severe risk of losing the body's water balance with this. Performing physical exercise at high temperatures and with many warm clothes and poorly hydrated can trigger a heatstroke by not producing proper perspiration evaporation of sweat, thus increasing body and hypothalamic temperature, even causing death. 

Therefore, to stay hydrated and for the body to function properly during exercise, it is vital to replenish fluid losses that occur through sweat by drinking before, during, and after exercise. The important thing is not to lose kilos, but what they lose. 

Losing 3 kilos of water and muscle is not the same as losing fat. It is essential to be well hydrated, especially when exercising, since the water in our body has many functions, including the transport of nutrients, gases, and waste products, regulating body temperature, acting as a lubricant in cells, etc. 

High-fat foods are worse 

Fat is essential for the body, and there are different types of fat in food. Trans fats from ultra-processed foods are the ones to avoid. There is no pre-established order or quantity of meals. You have to eat according to the sensations of hunger-satiation and individually. 

Drinking water makes you lose weight 

Water is essential to be healthy, but drinking it does not necessarily mean losing weight. However, because thirst can be mistaken for hunger, staying hydrated can make you eat less. 

Having a radical exercise routine is the only way to lose weight 

Often exercising is incredible, but asking your body to adapt to a new and demanding routine overnight can backfire. Successful weight loss should integrate small changes into your daily routine, which you can keep doing for a long time instead of quick fixes. 

You will lose weight if you eat less 

This myth is widespread, but it is false. In fact, the opposite happens. When you deprive your body of the food it needs to meet its energy needs. It goes into survival mode and begins breaking down your muscles to use glycogen, stored glucose, for energy. The metabolic rate slows down to conserve energy, and you end up feeling tired, sluggish, weak, cold, and even with possible gastrointestinal problems like constipation. 

The most successful weight loss plans combine a personalized eating plan with a physical activity regimen and behavior modification sessions. Because everyone is different, the "one size fits all" theory doesn't exist. Studies have shown that people who track their meals lose more weight. Some calorie counting apps are very good at keeping you on top of your calorie intake. Another technique is weighing yourself around once a week. This activity is a way to get a self-monitoring that could help you. Just try to avoid having an obsessive mind about it.  

Juices 

Juices are not recommended even if they are homemade. Fruits have a high sugar content: if we eat a whole piece, it is counteracted by the fiber that the fruit contains naturally, but when we drink a juice, we only provide sugar to our body. Recent studies have linked the intake of fruit juices with obesity. As we can see, there are many false beliefs about low-calorie or healthy products. It is advisable to follow a varied diet and practice regular exercise. 

Every calorie is the same, no matter its origin 

This statement is not true. Although a 100-calorie candy bar and a 100-calorie apple contain the same amount of energy, the source of each calorie changes how the body digests and uses it. 

The body has to work harder to process whole foods like vegetables and legumes than processed packaged foods like crackers and sugary cereals. The body spends more energy breaking down unprocessed foods and proteins than processed foods, which means eating foods found in nature and not made by man is the best strategy for dieting. 

When you skip meals, you will lose weight 

This isn't true. If you skip a meal, chances are you'll make up for those calories by snacking at odd hours and overeating at the next meal. The ideal is to eat every three or four hours because the metabolism is kept in constant operation. When long periods of famine are generated, the metabolism slows down and produces less energy expenditure as a defense method against lack of food. 

There is only one diet that works 

There are as many weight loss plans as there are people. A diagnosis of each person's nutritional status and general health must be made through a complete clinical, dietary, and anthropometric history, taking into account their lifestyle and specific situation. It is then that realistic objectives are jointly proposed to re-educate incorrect habits or strengthen those aspects that can support the achievement of the goal. 

Who is overweight is because he eats too much 

That is not the only reason. Obesity experts argue that the factors contributing to obesity being an epidemic are multiple. Increased consumption of high-calorie processed foods and beverages, sedentary lifestyle and some researchers also link it to exposure to chemicals like bisphenol found in everyday items like canned food containers. 

If I exercise a lot, I can eat whatever I want 

That's not true. Exercising stimulates appetite, so there is a tendency to consume more food, generally hypercaloric. When we talk about losing weight, we have to consider the physiological impulses we could feel. This is relevant for the effects that we may have.  

In carrying out slimming diets, an adjustment of the diet towards a balanced diet adjusted to the individual's energy expenditure is recommended, together with exercise appropriate to the physical situation. It is not advisable to exclude either of the two circumstances, as its beneficial effect may be lost. 

You should starve to lose weight 

If you want to lose weight, you should not starve to get it. To avoid this feeling of hunger when carrying out weight-loss diets it is required to choose foods with low caloric density, which provide few calories in a high volume. In the same way, the distribution of several meals can be beneficial. This dietary pattern tends to increase satiety and decrease hunger. 

A myth is an advice that becomes popular despite having no facts to back it up. When it comes to having a good figure, many popular beliefs are myths, and others are only partially true. That is why we share some of these myths with you in this article to choose wisely what best suits your needs. Primarily, we recommend expert advice. 

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