Big fat whoppers exposed

Don’t believe the hype. Fat loss is not as easy as marketers would have us believe. PTI Cpl Scott Fairweather examines nine of the biggest fat loss lies.

Honest information about nutrition and fat loss is harder to come by than ever before, and nearly everyone has been misled at some stage.

Here we expose some of the lies surrounding the fitness/supplement industry and help you understand the subject of fat loss.

Lie #1: You need supplements to lose fat.

Supplements are not necessary to lose body fat. Exercise and nutrition are the only things you need to lose fat permanently. Some supplements can help speed up the process a little, but not nearly as much as you may have been led to believe.

Lie #2: The only way to get really lean is to “starve” yourself.

Very low calorie diets slow down your metabolism and cause you to lose muscle. Eventually they shut down your metabolism completely. When this happens, the weight loss stops and any increase in calories that follows will cause immediate fat gain.

Lie #3: Meal replacement products and diet shakes help you “burn” fat.

Meal Replacement Products are nothing more than “powdered food” – they are simply convenient.

The process of digesting solid food every three hours actually increases your metabolic rate.

Lie #4: Thermogenic “fat burners” containing ephedrine and caffeine are the best weight loss products.

“Thermogenic” fat burning pills have become the hottest weight loss craze in the fitness industry.

But are these products all they’re made out to be? No!

Lie #5: Losing fat can be accomplished quickly and easily.

Losing fat is simple, but for most people it is not easy. There’s a big difference between simple and easy:

Getting a lean and muscular body requires two things: You must be willing to work hard and you must be patient.

Lie #6: Some people will never be able to lose weight.

It’s true, your heredity will, to a large degree, dictate your athletic ability and the ease with which you lose fat or gain muscle. However, it’s a lie to say that some people can’t lose weight because they’ve inherited a “slow metabolism.”

Everybody can lose fat; it just takes a little longer for some than for others.

Lie #7: Zero or very low carbohydrate diets are the best way to lose fat permanently.

Very low carb diets are difficult to stick to, are unbalanced and missing many nutrients, may be unhealthy as they often promote eating large amounts of fat such as bacon and sausages for breakfast and cause your energy levels to plummet.

Lie #8: If you eat the right diet, you can lose fat permanently without exercise.

Yeah right, and you’ll make a million dollars a day without working! An effective fat burning program must have the following: Aerobic/anaerobic exercise, a nutritious diet with a mild calorie deficit, resistance training, goal setting and motivation.

Lie #9: You can lose 30 pounds of fat in 30 days.

Is it possible? Yes, through dehydration, but the question you should ask is how can you lose it healthfully and permanently?

Don’t confuse weight loss with fat loss. The recommended safe weight loss rate is no more than 1-1.5 kilos a week. You can reach any fat loss or fitness goals you commit to, but there are limits to how quickly you can safely achieve them.

Tips to lose the muffin tops

Accredited practising dietitian, Susie Newman, chews the fat on overeating.

Eat drink and be merry. So they say, but overeating and drinking over the Christmas and New Year period can be bittersweet.

If you have returned to work and found your uniform noticeably tighter you may have put on a few unwanted kilos.

The serious issue is that if we continue this lifestyle behaviour, we may end up a stone (6kg) heavier by Christmas this year and very “un-merry”.

Here are a few tips to take off those bad boys clinging to your belly – you know, the muffin tops:

1. Clear out food offenders. For example, wrap unopened boxes of chocolates and stash them away for someone special on Valentine’s Day.
2. Avoid having two cooked meals a day. Have a salad sandwich or homemade soup and roll for lunch, and a small portion of meat and lots of vegetables in the evening.
3. Throw out all sugary soft drink in the house, or give it away. Drink water, mineral or soda water. Add a slice of lemon or lime for taste if desired.
4. Limit your alcohol intake. Two to three beers/wines a night is the equivalent of two pieces of buttered toast in energy. Reduce to one glass of wine or champagne with dinner.
5. Use it and lose it. Walk up the stairs. Join the kids on the play equipment – use the monkey bars for a few chin-ups while you’re there. You will notice that the body part you use will get more toned.
6. Go walking a few times a week with a friend. It will motivate you and you will be less likely to miss it if you know you are expected to show.
7. Don’t skip meals to try to get the weight off quickly as you may eat more kilojoules in the next meal than if you had eaten two sensible meals.

Weekly hint

Keep hot food steaming hot

Keep cold food refrigerated

Cook food properly

Separate raw and cooked foods

Keep kitchen and utensils clean

Wash hands with soap and dry thoroughly

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