5 Myths About Diet and Exercise

1.  Diet and Exercise Are Equal in Regards to Weight Loss

The fitness industry has done an excellent job of convincing Americans that they need to spend money on fancy fitness equipment in order to obtain weight loss.  If you watch television for any length of time you’ll see plenty of commercials on new equipment that has unlocked secrets that regular diet and exercise don’t provide.

The reality is that for the most part diet makes up about 80% and exercise makes up around 20% in regards to weight loss.  Many people spend long hours in the gym each week but fail to make the proper dietary changes and wonder why their numbers aren’t dropping.  It’s crucial to choose foods that help to regulate your blood sugar during the day and prevent spikes in insulin.

There are a myriad of other health benefits that result from exercise, but if you’re finding that you’re not losing the way you’d like, you likely need to make changes to your diet versus exercising more.

2.  If Women Weight Train They’ll Get Big 

Most women I’ve talked to believe that if they start a weight training program they’re suddenly going to bulk up.  This simply isn’t the case.  Women don’t have anywhere near the testosterone levels of men.  In fact, women have about 15-20 times less testosterone than men.  Without high testosterone levels it simply isn’t possible to bulk up the way men do after weight training. 

Another thing to consider is that bulky men walking around the gym have been training for years and years using techniques aimed at bulking up.  Also, in order to bulk up you must consume a large amount of calories.  Most women work out with the goal of losing weight or toning muscles.  As such they’re at an overall calorie deficit, meaning they’re burning more than they consume.  In order to bulk up you need a considerable calorie surplus. 

3.  Eating Fat Will Make You Fat

Low fat diets are one of the most common strategies for people attempting to lose weight.  It’s true that certain fats like trans fats should be avoided at all costs, but there are dietary fats that are necessary for optimal health and function.  Dietary fat provides energy, protects our organs, helps the body absorb nutrients and maintains cell membranes. 

Eating good fats actually helps to burn fat in the body.  Research at the Washington University School of Medicine showed that dietary fat helps break down existing fat by activating PPAR-alpha and fat-burning pathways through the liver.  

One of the fats that I recommend adding to your diet is coconut oil.  Coconut oil is made up of medium chain fatty acids, which the body can use almost immediately to burn for energy.

4.  Diet Soda Will Help You Lose Weight

I would recommend most people get off soda entirely.  Regular soda contains high amounts of high fructose corn syrup, which has a long list of negative effects on the body, and diet soda has been shown to increase the risk of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome includes high levels of body fat, blood sugar, and cholesterol.  Diet soda is also high in aspartame which is linked with the following conditions: headaches, nausea, abdominal pains, fatigue, sleep problems, vision problems, anxiety attacks, depression, emotional disorders, epilepsy/seizures, fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s, memory loss, cancer, premature birth and birth defects.

A study from the University of Texas Health Science center followed 474 diet soda drinkers for nearly 10 years.  After 10 years they found that their waists increased 70% more than non-diet soda drinkers.  Don’t make the mistake of believing diet soda is healthy just because it has no calories.  Even though the sweeteners have no calories, they have still been shown to trigger distortions in biochemistry that lead to weight gain.

5.  All Calories are Equal

We already mentioned that diet is about 80% of the equation when it comes to weight loss, but now let’s get more into that diet.  Most people are familiar with the simple concept of “calories in/calories out.”  While that might work to an extent for some people, it’s important to know that not all calories are the same.

If your goal is weight loss, it’s important to keep your blood sugar at a steady level throughout the day to prevent spikes in insulin, which can lead to the body going into fat storage mode.  Foods with white flour and sugar are broken down quickly and cause an immediate spike in blood sugar levels.  When trying to lost weight it’s important to focus on consuming complex carbohydrates.  These carbohydrates take longer to break down and help the body to maintain a normal blood sugar level. 

As mentioned earlier, the consumption of healthy fats are also a crucial component to proper diet and exercise.  Eating vegetables and lean meats has been found to increase your daily calorie burn by up to 30%.

Jeremy M. Sedlock, D.C.

Loganville Family Chiropractic

www.loganvillefamilychiropractic.com

(770) - 554 - 5292