Remember when I told you last week that, sadly, a study found that you actually do NOT lose weight with sex? Well, it turns out there are actually more myths about obesity and weight loss that we all think are true and are, in fact, very far off.
To be honest, every single one of these shocked me. These 6 facts and myths about weight loss that you probably don't know are definitely ones that I had no clue about. However, just as with the news about sex not burning that many calories but me revealing a few ways that you CAN spice it up for weight loss, we're going to take this new information and use it to challenge ourselves to do better. In fact, I am betting that, even if you're shocked by some of these revelations, there is a happier, healthier (and at the weight you want!) horizon ahead.
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1. Myth: Small changes in diet and exercise lead to long-term weight changes. Fact: The body adapts to changes, so small steps don't have the same effect over time. However, I'm still a big fan of small changes—as long as you keep up with them. Don't just give up soda for a month. Instead, give it up for good!
2. Myth: Gym is good for kids to lose weight. Fact: Unfortunately, classes are not long or intense to really make a difference. Instead, why not do some family-friendly exercises together? I love taking long bike rides or playing futbol for hours with my family and they won't even realize they're sweating off the calories!
3. Myth: Losing weight quickly is worse than losing weight slowly. Fact: Although many who lose weight quickly regain the weight, those who lose a lot at the beginning often end up at a lower weight overall. Personally, I think the most important thing is to keep going and keep losing the weight, one day at a time.
4. Myth: Snacking leads to weight gain. Fact: No studies have shown to support that. Well, that's GOOD NEWS because I'm definitely a fan of snacking—healthy snacking, that is. I always make sure to have a piece of fruit in the mid-morning and then a protein-rich snack (like Greek yogurt, nuts or a small bag of popcorn with string cheese) in the mid-afternoon to recharge my batteries.
5. Myth: Regularly eating breakfast helps prevent obesity. Fact: Studies found no effect on weight and it depended on whether people usually skipped breakfast or not. However, your metabolism slowing down is very real and I think it's much better to be safe than sorry—so go ahead and have a healthy, diet-friendly breakfast like Greek yogurt with banana, a sugar-free slow cooker oatmeal or an omelet with plenty of greens.
6. Myth: Setting too-ambitious goals leads to frustration and giving up. Fact: Some studies actually suggest that people can do better with higher goals. It really has to depend on the person, their personality and their motivation. Having a huge goal works best when you can break it down into smaller, more achievable results. Want to lose 50 pounds? Start with 5 pounds, then get to 10% off your body weight and continue this way.
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