Four Myths Destroying Your Fitness Dreams.

Just like in every part of our life, Fitness and Health (especially so), have their own fair share of myths and controversies, either planted by some unscrupulous being for their benefit or falsely believed by us for our own convenience. Not only are these myths counterproductive to our ultimate goal but they can also be dangerous in the long run. Let’s dissect some of the most commonly held belief systems which are plaguing the Health and Fitness system.

Fats are unhealthy.

clarifies butter, ghee, Four Myths Destroying Your Fitness Dreams.

You don’t need to eliminate all fat from your diet. Some fats actually help promote good health. But it’s wise to choose the healthier types of dietary fat and then enjoy them as part of a balanced diet.

Dietary fat is a macronutrient that provides energy for your body. Fat is essential to your health because it supports a number of your body’s functions. Some vitamins, for instance, must have fat to dissolve so that they can be used by your body.

But some types of dietary fat are thought to play a role in cardiovascular disease. Besides, fats are high in calories, so you need to balance your fat intake against the other foods you eat so that you don’t take in more calories than you need. If you eat more calories than you need, you will gain weight, and excess weight is linked to poor health.

Also Read: Reasons NOT To Diet!

Unhealthy fats

There are two main types of potentially harmful dietary fats:

Saturated fat. This type of fat comes mainly from animal sources of food, such as red meat, poultry, and full-fat dairy products. which may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Trans fat. Trans fats are partially hydrogenated fats formed as a result of processing them. They can increase total blood cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, but lower HDL cholesterol. This can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Healthier fats

The potentially helpful types of dietary fat are primarily unsaturated fats:

Monounsaturated fatty acids. This type of fat is found in a variety of foods and oils. Studies show that eating foods rich in monounsaturated fatty acids improves blood cholesterol levels, which can decrease your risk of heart disease and may also help decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids. This type of fat is found mostly in plant-based foods and oils. Evidence shows that eating foods rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids instead of saturated fats improves blood cholesterol levels, which can decrease your risk of heart disease and may also help decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Omega-3 fatty acids. One type of polyunsaturated fat is made up of mainly omega-3 fatty acids and may be especially beneficial for heart health. Omega-3, found in some types of fatty fish and some plant sources, appears to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease.

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Eating Healthier-

healthy fats, Four Myths Destroying Your Fitness Dreams.

Because some fats are potentially helpful and others are potentially harmful to your health, it pays to know which ones you’re eating and whether you’re meeting recommendations.

Avoid trans fat.

Limit saturated fat to less than 10 percent of calories a day.

Replace saturated fat with healthier monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Focus on replacing foods high in saturated fat with foods that include monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.

Keep in mind that most foods contain a mix of different kinds of fat and varying levels of each type. Don’t get bogged down in the details. Instead, focus on choosing foods that contain unsaturated fats, instead of foods that contain saturated or trans fats. For example, canola oil contains some saturated fat but is mostly monounsaturated fat. It’s a great replacement for butter, which contains some unsaturated fat but is mostly saturated fat.

No extremes, please-

All fats, including the healthy ones, are high in calories. To control your calorie intake, consume monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats instead of other types of fat, not in addition to them.

If watching fat content is a good strategy, is it even better to try to eliminate all fat from your diet? No. First, your body needs some fat — healthy fats — to function normally. If you try to avoid all fat, you risk getting insufficient amounts of fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids.

Also, in attempting to remove fat from your diet, you may wind up eating too many processed foods touted as low-fat or fat-free rather than healthier and naturally lower-fat foods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Instead of doing away with fat in your diet, enjoy healthy fats as part of your balanced diet.

Read On: Eating Seasonal Is Good For You

Four Myths Destroying Your Fitness Dreams.

You can out-exercise a bad diet.

There is a common belief among people that if you work out, you can eat anything you want without getting fat. It is a comforting thought: eat a whole pizza and then head to the gym to make up for it. Unfortunately, there is no way you can burn enough calories through exercise to make up for bad eating habits. An unhealthy diet contains foods that are high in calories and low in nutrients. Consume excess calories, and you have to counterbalance them and it’s hard to get enough exercise in to undo the calories you’ll get in a medium-sized Pizza.

Many people have no idea how many calories they take in on an average day and often underestimate it when asked to guess it. At the same time, they also overestimate the number of calories they burn. Let’s look at the numbers. An average, moderately intensive workout will burn 300-400 calories in about an hour. If you decide to eat a couple of Vada-Pavs after the exercise, in a few minutes, you will consume about 500 calories. All your hard work is wasted, plus you have provided your body with several hundred extra calories to store as fat.

The only way to lose weight and get a lean, fit body is to exercise and eat healthy food. Don’t forget that a combination of carbohydrates and protein is what you need to recover after a workout. Also, consider that your body needs adequate carbs beforehand, so you have enough energy to work out. Keep in mind that super low-calorie diets are just as harmful to your workout plan as diets with excessive fats and calories. If your body does not receive enough calories, it will start burning your muscles to produce energy. When you consume excess calories, they head right to the trouble areas. Even if you gain muscles in these areas, they will be covered by a layer of fat. Lastly, abs exercise alone isn’t enough to decrease your body-fat percentage or abdominal fat. If you want that six-pack, you’ll have to get both your diet and workout in order.

If you want to improve your nutrition, focus more on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. And remember, great nutrition does not only guarantee a loss in weight, but it also affects every aspect of your life; mood, sleep, and even your appearance.

Also Read: Being Fit In Covid Times

Four Myths Destroying Your Fitness Dreams.

Fitness is a one-time investment.

How health and fitness should be seen is through a different light. It’s not a certain destination that people should arrive at where everyone is immaculately fit and firm and extremely health conscious but rather it is a journey that should take a lifetime and should be enjoyed along the way. When it comes down to it though, no one method is the absolute solution to everyone. What works for most people might not work for you, so should you do it? You may wish to look further abroad to suit your current capabilities and interests. In my experience, having an open mind about fitness approaches can enrich you both physically and mentally. If you’re a hardcore boxing fan, why not give a boot camp session a shot and test your mettle outside of the ring?

Never concede defeat just because achieving your goals presently might seem futile. There is a variety of methods to put up to a trial to restart your journey. Try out training methods and ways of eating before you decide to throw in the towel. There’s a lot on offer out there in the world but not everything will work. Part of the fun is experimenting with all that’s out there because when you find that golden method, the one that works for you, you worked hard and earned it, and now it’ll pay off in dividends.

A destination means there will be an end but make fitness the thing that sets you off on a whirlwind adventure that lasts a lifetime.

Four Myths Destroying Your Fitness Dreams.

Spot reduction works.

The majority of people who are trying to lose weight have some areas of their body from where they specifically want to lose some inches. When we are trying to lose weight, we do everything possible to speed up the process of weight loss. From following a popular diet to working out really hard in the gym, we do it all just to reach the desired weight quickly! Belly fat is one common problem which almost every overweight person faces. It is not just bad to look at but, it is very dangerous for overall health as it is often linked with various types of health issues including heart diseases and diabetes. Spot reduction refers to the claim that says that fats from some specific area can be targeted for reduction through a particular type of exercise that focuses on the desired areas. But, is it possible?

While exercising is very important for your overall health, it is also very beneficial in weight loss. However, physical activities alone can’t help you reach your weight goals and you need to also have a healthy diet for it. The most effective way to lose more fats is to make healthier food choices. Your diet must include plenty of protein, fiber, and healthy fats and you must work out every day to lose weight effectively!

The concept of spot reduction is nothing but a myth! While popular workout methods claim that you can target your ‘trouble areas’ and lose fats from them, the reality is that nothing works that way! Of course, you can lose weight by exercising and having a good diet but, you just can’t burn fats from a single area without losing fat from your overall body!

Also read: Yoga to Your Rescue in 2021

Four Myths Destroying Your Fitness Dreams.

Chances are at one time or another, you would have or would still be believing in one or more of these myths, thereby holding you back from achieving the pinnacle of your Fitness and Health. I hope the article has helped you dissipate some of those doubts from your mind, if not all.