5 Weight Loss Myths to Ditch Right Now

Spoiler: You cannot control where you lose your fat.

It’s no secret that consistent strength training and cardiovascular exercise yield many benefits for health. But research shows that working out has relatively little effect on weight management compared to many other lifestyle factors.

Obesity researcher Alexxai Kravitz explains that there are three main components to energy expenditure:

The first is basal metabolic rate, which is the energy expended to keep our bodies functioning when at rest. This accounts for a startling 60 to 80 per cent of total energy usage. The second is the energy used to metabolize food, which accounts for another 10 per cent. The third is energy used in physical activity, which accounts for 10 to 30 per cent… of which exercise is only a subset.

That means that if you’re trying to downsize your dress size, your metabolism plays the largest role in how successful you will be. Going at it through exercise alone would take an overwhelming amount of effort and time.

Weight Loss Myth #2: Spot training slims down specific areas

There are tons of home workout videos that claim to melt your thigh fat in a matter of weeks. But anyone who has put in a month’s worth of resistance training will know it’s not as simple as it seems. Why?

This is because you cannot control where you lose fat.

A study conducted in 2013 measured the effects of exercise on the fat mass of a targeted body area. For 12 weeks, the study’s participants did between 960 to 1,200 leg presses against light resistance. At the end of the 12 weeks, there was no change in fat mass in the leg which had exercised more.

Imagine that your body fat is fuel in a tank. During exercise, your fat stores are recruited equally from all over your body –not just your love handles.

In fact, genetics is the most important determinant where fat is stored. If your mom was saddled with a muffin top, it is likely that you will, too.

A gluten-free diet is the go-to for people suffering from celiac disease (an autoimmune condition that leads to gluten damaging the small intestines).

That hasn’t stopped perfectly healthy people from jumping on the gluten-free bandwagon now that it has become one of the most mainstream diet trends. But if you don’t suffer from a gluten allergy or gluten hypersensitivity, there is no evidence that going on a gluten-free diet will make you leaner or healthier.

On the contrary, a gluten-free diet may even correlate with weight gain. Many processed gluten-free products are also calorie bombs with massive amounts of sugar and fat while being relatively nutrient-poor. And these downsides far outweigh whatever marginal benefits a gluten-free lifestyle may have.

No matter which health diet you opt for, don’t forget one of the most important commandments of eating well: Portion control. Without moderation, even fruits and wholegrains can lead to weight gain.

Water is essential for a healthy gut – and for keeping your metabolic functions in order. But how big is its role in weight loss?

Only one study has shown that being well-hydrated helps the body to expend more energy, but the effects were so mild that it did not amount to any significant weight loss.

What about the weight loss myth that cold water burns fat? Well, it is true that your body will spend some energy to raise its temperature back up to normal, but downing a glass of ice cold water burns only eight calories. That’s just the equivalent of a pickle!

Now that we know that our metabolism is doing most of the heavy lifting when it comes to weight loss, it’s important to know how to keep your metabolic engine humming. And one way to do that is to not skip meals.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, skipping meals can actually lower your metabolism. This is because when you’re famished, your body activates its energy conservation mode, whereby it stubbornly holds on to your fat stores.

Instead, try refueling your body with frequent light meals. Eating a low-calorie meal every four to six hours while we are awake not only keeps the metabolism in an optimum state, but also helps to regulate blood sugar.

As your metabolism gets more sluggish with age, weight loss can feel like an uphill task, even with regular exercise and a reasonable diet.

That’s where our CSH therapy® program can help. Using traditional Chinese techniques of cupping, scraping and heat, our signature CSH therapy® was designed specially to boost metabolism and sculpt the body within four to eight sessions*.

It’s safe, natural and has brought about long-lasting weight loss for thousands of our clients since 2002.

Book a consultation to find out all about the proven way to lose weight.

*Results may vary with individuals.