Weight Loss Myths - Are You A Believer?

There is no field of science that is so full of myths as that of weight loss. Everyone tries to look for the easy way out and lose weight in a quick and safe manner. The reality of the situation is that weight loss requires a lot of will power, dedication and long time commitment. However, there are certain myths regarding weight loss that need to be exposed.

1) The most commonly heard myth is that eating ice cream actually causes weight loss. This so called theory is based on the assumption that since ice cream is cold, the body uses energy (measured in calories) to warm it up so we are actually consuming energy while eating it.

Though it is true that any action in the body requires energy, but by consuming ice cream that is so rich in fat and sugar the body actually takes in far more calories than what is used up to warm and digest it. Therefore, one must eat sweets in moderation.

The myth might even extend to drinking ice water. In this case at least its not harmful because ice water doesn't contain any calories.However, the energy that is used to warm it to our body temperature is actually negligible in terms of weight loss effect. One advantage is that by drinking water the body feels full and so we feel less hungry. It's also much lower in calories as compared to sugar laden sodas and orange juice.

Another myth you might have heard is that adding a pound of muscle makes the body burn an extra 50 calories.Not only is this untrue it is also meaningless. A pound of new muscle will at most burn only a dozen calories while just sitting consumes up to 70 calories per hour. The body consumes energy to maintain internal temperature, circulate and pump blood, repair worn out cells etc.

The concept of adding muscle is a good idea especially because in order to do so we participate in some form of vigorous exercise such as running or weight training. Mild exercise like walking helps to tone the body rather than build muscle. On an average one burns up to 350 calories in an hour long workout.

With vigorous exercise the body burns about 250 calories more than if one hasn't exercised in a day. Even if we alternate our days between working out and walking it will help keep our muscles well toned and prevent the build up of lactic acid that leads to sore muscles.

The truth is that if we consume more calories than we are able to burn, the remaining energy is stored in the form of chemical bonds in fatty tissues. When the body requires extra energy it will turn to those fat deposits in order to get the needed energy and this is what leads to weight loss and fat reduction.

Thus, a well balanced diet and age appropriate exercise are the only real means to reducing weight and keeping fit.

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