Fat Loss Myths

When it comes to fitness, everyone seems to be in search of the "easy way" to achieve results. I like to call this the "lazy way." Whether your goal is to lose just a few pounds, lose several pounds, build lean muscles, build mass, burn fat, improve strength or endurance, the bottom line is that there is no easy way..........at first (which we will discuss later). Any type of fitness goals can only be achieved through hard work and dedication. This includes engaging in a combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercise, as well as a well-balanced diet. Aerobic exercises may include long distance running, cycling, or any type of sports that require running and extended durations. Anaerobic exercises include walking up a steep hill or on the treadmill, hiking, steps, high resistance cycling and weight lifting. Nothing you haven't heard before right? Sounds easy right? Unfortunately, it's not and as a result, people have developed their own methods of attacking their fat infested bodies. Those who are lazy and unmotivated to put in the effort necessary to gain results are the ones who developed these myths.

 The most common myth is the belief that "If I workout, I can eat whatever I want." By using just a little common sense, one can see that this statement has no sense. Our bodies can only keep up so much. Though exercising can burn calories and fat, it does so in an extremely slow manner. It can take months to recover from just a week of unhealthy eating. The rate at which most individuals consume high calorie and high saturated fatty foods is far greater than any type of fitness program can keep up with. For example, your average fast food cheeseburger contains about 700 - 1200 calories and anywhere from 30-80 grams of fat. In addition, it is good to be aware that every gram of fat contains 9 calories. So for this cheeseburger, about half the calories are from fat, providing you with little to no nutritional benefits. Trying to work this off becomes another obstacle. 1 hour of intense exercise can burn about 500 calories. The problem here is that many individuals are not able to exert themselves to an intensive level, resulting in low caloric burn. In fact, it may be months before they will be able to safely engage in intense training sessions. Those who are out of shape or obese should never over exert themselves due to the risks involved. One of these risks includes death. Over time, an individual living an unhealthy lifestyle continues to gain fat while losing the all essential lean muscles. Other than the defecation of their physical appearance, the internal functioning of their bodily systems becomes jeopardized as well. The most vital of which is the heart. When an individual engages in any form of exercise, their heart rate and blood pressure increases. For a less than fit individual, this can be fatal. Their bodies have accumulated an overabundance of fat in their systems and their arteries have been blocked with cholesterol. This cholesterol acts as a barrier to blood flow. As the intensity increases, the heart begins to work harder by pumping blood. For these individuals, blood flow is disrupted and slowed down by clogged arteries and the blood begins to rush faster than the arteries can handle. Think of this like the bottle neck effect. Imagine a bottle filled with water and small rocks, with the rocks representing fat deposits and cholesterol. You turn the bottle over attempting to pour the water out. The water starts pouring out slowly. The rocks start to make it towards the opening. Eventually, all the rocks will reach the opening and block it completely, restricting any further flow of water. This is what occurs to unhealthy and obese individuals.......and when it does........cardiac arrest.