Health and Fitness

3 Weight Loss Myths to Ignore

Eating less will make you skinny

True, but only to a point. It’s basic mathematics that if you’re consuming more than you’re burning, then you’ll gain weight, and if you’re burning more than you’re consuming then you’ll lose weight. That will be the case for 95% of the population.

But taking this notion to the extreme is where people fall over. Starving yourself is not sustainable and can be very detrimental to your health. A better option is to find a diet that balances well with your lifestyle. For example, if your job requires you to sit in an office for eight or nine hours a day, then you won’t be using a lot of energy and won’t need a lot of fuel. The same job, combined with exercise before work, during a lunch break and after work,  will mean the fuel your body will need will increase.

Finding that balance by attempting different exercise routines, combined with the right diet, is critical. Check your progress by measuring key stats using scales or a tape measure to guide you with what works and what doesn’t – often you’ll see the numbers change here before you see any difference in the mirror. The ideal weight loss is roughly 0.5-1 kg per week. That is a very general figure and everyone will be different, but losing weight in small increments is sustainable and easily repeatable to ensure success.

You need to exercise 24/7

Sure, if you have time, the more exercise you do is better – but a solid, sustainable target should be roughly 1-2 hours of heart-rate-raising exercise per day – maximum. Combining this with an appropriate dietary routine is going to result in the incremental weight loss that we’re after.

The Studio Pilates 30 Day Challenges guide clients through a great balance of 40 minute high-intensity classes, some cardio and a nutritional plan. It also runs regular Hell Weeks based on twice daily Pilates which, while more extreme, still fit within the window of exercising between 1-2 hours per day.

Help! I’m Plateauing – This Musn’t Be Working

Relax, plateauing is not a bad thing.

It’s your body getting used to the changes you’ve made to your lifestyle and adapting as such. It could also mean you’re gaining fitness and strength and your exercise routine may need to be cranked up another level, whether increasing the duration of your workout – within our healthy time limitations of course – or often it’s as simple as increasing your workout intensity or frequency.

Or, it could have nothing to do with your exercise routine at all!

It could be a sign your metabolism has reached it potential. In this case, it’s not unusual for professional dieticians to recommend a break from any dieting and have a cheat week. Obviously, no one wants you to go crazy and eat your body weight in chocolate, but switching up the routine of your diet will keep your body on its toes (figuratively). You may gain weight during the cheat week but that’s ok, it might wake your metabolism from plateau hibernation and allow you to keep losing the weight.

Keep in mind it takes time to change your lifestyle in a sustainable way, so keep at it and you’re sure to be successful.

While some of the weight-loss myths we’re busting here may have elements of truth to them, balance is key for achieving your goals.

There are lots of extreme ways to quickly drop weight, but these are generally unhealthy and can set you up for failure, where you gain the weight straight back. The first myth examines just that. If the changes you make are subtle, healthy and easily sustained for a long period of time, then you’ll be on the road to success.

 

About the Author – Studio Pilates Instructor Stuart Rech

Studio Pilates instructor, Stuart Rech, combines his experience in the health and fitness industry with more than 10 years as a national level, elite swimmer. He now devotes his time to ensuring his clients are the best people they can be, both physically and mentally.