Common fat loss myths: part 1!

1. If I exercise I can eat whatever I want.
This seems to be the most common one floating around there, and the reason why many overweight people sign up for the gym, go for a quick workout followed by consuming three chocolate bars, wonder why the don't lose weight, and then quit. The honest truth is that you aren't burning nearly as many calories as you think during an hour on the treadmill. Fat loss is 80% diet and 20% calories.

If you really want to lose weight then track your calories (use a site like Calorie King) and eat accordingly.

2. To lose weight I should do cardio only
Unless you are doing some form of high-intensity interval training (and you'd know if you were, trust me), the problem with cardio exercise is that you only burn calories while you do it. Once you finish, your heart rate returns to normal and you are back to the way you were before exercising.

Not so with weight training. Because you are working in intervals, lifting a weight then a short rest before another lift, your anaerobic system is worked harder. Your body's metabolism is then raised in order to supply enough oxygen to your body. This continues long after you work out, thanks to a process called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. Any serious trainer will recommend that a combination of both is the best way to lose weight.

3. To lose weight I should just eat smaller portions of what I eat now
Although it's true that you need to eat smaller portions, you need to also change what you're eating if you're serious about losing weight. For example, if you only eat 1500 calories worth of corn chips, you're going to feel hungry pretty often because corn chips are calorie-dense and it doesn't take many of them to get you to 1500 calories.

Instead you need to do a few things. Eat lots of vegetables, because they are low in calories and you can have large servings without taking in many calories. Take in fruit and a fibre supplement to keep your digestive system working. Also increase the amount of protein you take in, because protein is great at making you feel satiated. Finally, instead of eating three larger meals a day, divide your daily food into six smaller meals. This will keep your metabolism going throughout the day and help you avoid snacking.