Hi there
Since there is a lot of misleading information out in today’s world I didn’t want to hold back on any information so today’s email will be split in 2 so it is lighter reading for you.
So you’re trying to lose weight and finding it hard? Well you’re not alone. In today’s society more and more emphasis is placed on how we look and what we have rather than how we feel and who we are. So in this article I would like to share with you some common and some not so common ways currently being advertised as ‘weight loss super enhancers’ that are ‘guaranteed’ to have you looking and feeling great. I will also outline what the scientists have now PROVEN to be the most effective and safest way to lose weight.
Debunking 4 of the craziest weight loss strategies
Myth 1: Going on a lemon detox diet will make you lose weight
Ahhh it sounds so easy, a couple of lemons and some magic potion that you mix with water and presto. You are 5 kilos lighter! Easy…. But if only it were true! This is not a long term weight loss solution, granted it may help you lose a kilogram or two, simply through dehydration though rather than through fat loss. This diet as well as being short on appropriate levels of vitamins and minerals is not a true detox, ask any naturopath and they will inform you that in order to fully detox you need to have a progressive cut down of certain food types over a 2 month period – not 14 days and certainly not by stopping everything (except lemons) all at once! Sorry the lemon detox is no good, just because it’s endorsed by a celebrity who looks great doesn’t mean it works!
Myth 2: Using a machine that vibrates will make you lose weight.
Sounds like fun, might even feel good. Also a celebrity that looks great endorsing it – however I think it might have had more to do with her glorious pole vaulting career and training that coincides with that rather than standing on a vibrating machine? Imagine if this were true, we could simply get massage chairs in our lounge rooms, crank them up and sit back and watch T.V whilst we are losing weight! Now we’re talking! These machines can be useful though in conjunction with appropriate training to rehabilitate certain body parts after a trauma or injury as the vibration will activate the stabilizer muscles of your ankles/knees/hips and shoulders which is great. But will it make you burn more calories and aid in weight loss quicker than training without it….sorry no!
Myth 3: Doing yoga in a hot room will make you lose weight
My personal favorite, this has to work right? Look how much you’re sweating – clearly this means you’re working hard and losing weight? Close but no cigar. Yoga is brilliant for you don’t get me wrong, I do it weekly myself. However yoga is brilliant for increasing your flexibility which is vital for optimum body condition and though you certainly will burn some calories doing it which will aid in weight loss, it’s not the biggest calorie burn you can achieve. As for the sweating, lets not lose sight of what sweating really means. Sweating is not an indication that you’re having a great workout. Sweating is an indication that you’re hot and your body is trying to cool itself down. It does this by producing moisture that will sit on the skins surface, as air passes over the moisture it will help to cool the skin therefore also cooling the blood which will help to lower the core body temperature. On a basic level if sweating was a measure that we are working hard and losing weight, why don’t we just move to Darwin its always hot there we could sweat all day – imagine all the weight we could lose then? The benefit of doing yoga in a hot room is that the muscles are more responsive once they are warmed up; they become more ‘stretchy’, more elastic. So apply heat and presto, you have an effective warm up and a great start to really stretch out those muscles.
Myth 4: Doing Pilates will make you lose weight
Pilates can be brilliant for you if you do it for the right reason. If you have an injury, lower back pain or similar to this is one of the best things you can do for your body (assuming you have a great instructor). The benefits you gain for your core and your glute strength will be amazing. But similarly to yoga, though you will achieve some calorie burn doing Pilates if you’re looking for maximum bang for your calorie burning buck – there are better options available to you. Rehabilitation definitely yes, continued weight loss no.
There’s your first 4 myths, hope you got some clarity from them. Check your inbox tomorrow for 3 more myths I expose for you.
To a fitter and healthier you,
Andrew Zagami