Top Fat Loss Mistakes Part 3

Truth: Listen up: a belly will not magically manifest on your fortieth birthday. What will, however, manifest over time, is our habits both good and bad. Are you creating a life of habits that propel you forward or hold you back? Yes, your metabolic rate does start to slow with age, but that doesn’t mean you have to slow down along with it. We know plenty of people in their 40s, 50s and beyond who are in great shape. What sets them apart from their less healthy peers? Mindset! We will never forget seeing a woman in her 80s (yes, 80s) who was in tip top shape. We asked what her “secret” was. Her response? Lots of fruits, vegetables, exercise (including weights) and sleep! Yup … no rocket science. The daily decisions we make play a huge role in our longterm success, so don’t discount them simply because you can’t see the longterm benefit in the here and now. The compound effect is a powerful thing, especially as it relates to aging. Lastly, don’t forget about our pal WEIGHTS. Remember what we said about stoking your metabolic fire? There is no age limit for using weights to keep your metabolism revving.

Truth: One item in moderation is fine. The problem is people don’t consume just one item per week in moderation. We consume our daily Starbucks, eating out on the weekends, happy hour with friends, donuts at the office, that glass of wine/beer each night.  All of these items add up and if you are doing ALL of these things in moderation you will not achieve your weight loss goals. We have a worth it and not worth it list for this very reason; our clients mindfully write out what does and doesn’t align with their health, wellbeing and wellness goals. Then, they decide how often they want to consume said food/beverage based on their specific goals. You can probably guess that the stuff leaning toward unhealthy doesn’t make it in the meal plan very often. This practice helps tremendously to cut through the back and forth. Set a realistic expectation from the jump instead of obsessing over when you can have your next “treat”.

Myth #8: You need to do tons of cardio to lose weight.

Truth: More is not always better. Going to the gym and hopping on the elliptical for 2 hours while watching tv or reading a book isn’t going to get you to your goals any faster. We call this chronic cardio, and this type of long duration, low intensity cardio is a great way to circulate fat storing hormones in your body. It’s more efficient to do higher intensity cardio for a shorter duration similar to interval training. This will preserve lean muscle and accelerate fat burning while giving your metabolism an extra boost! As we mentioned in a fat loss myth buster above, weight training and HIIT help rev up your metabolism through EPOC – Exercise Post Oxygen Consumption. Put simply, the additional calories you burn at rest once your workout is over. Being consistent and keeping your intensity where it needs to be for you and your goals literally helps to stoke your metabolic fire!

Myth #9: It is possible to spot reduce, i.e. “I want to lose fat around my belly so I am doing more sit ups.”

Myth #10: To lose weight you need to eat 5-6 small meals everyday. 

Truth: Don’t worry, we used to subscribe to this one too. And it’s actually partly true. The theory (and it’s not half bad) is that in order for your body to avoid “starvation” mode and keep your metabolism going (think of feeding the hungry monster that is your metabolism), you eat several small meals throughout the day instead of breakfast/lunch/dinner or some other protocol. The flaw in this thinking, however, is that everyone is designed differently! What works for one person may not work for the other. We can’t tell you how many times people have said they are eating to eat – not because they are actually hungry – but because their meal plan says so. Fat loss and proper sustenance is completely individual and depends on so many different factors (lean body mass, level and intensity of activity, etc). Plus, from an evolutionary perspective we weren’t designed to eat constantly. Our bodies are programmed for intermittent periods of fasting (another popular approach). We always have people discover their “type” before deciding what meal timing works best for them. For some, it’s the 5-6 small meals. For others, it’s 3 per day. And for others, intermittent fasting has helped as well. Subscribing to a one-size-fits-all approach is never a good thing in the realm of fat loss. Rather it’s an investigative approach, discovering your unique needs through trial and error.