Myths and Truths about Body Fat and Exercise

We all are heavily influenced by “fat myths”, which are spread by “healthy lifestyle” propaganda on TV and at doctors’ offices, and which are often perceived by us as unquestionable truths. For example, many of us believe that eating animal fats is bad because this is what gives as tummy bulges, fat thighs, and high cholesterol.

In fact, this “lipid hypothesis”, although is referred to as a modern “conventional wisdom”, is a big myth, which is fuelled and supported by a powerful food processing industry.  It’s not fats, but politically correct dietary carbohydrates – all those endless breads, pasta, pizza, juices, and soft drinks -  that contribute to the epidemic of obesity and heart disease in our society, not traditional cream, cheese, bacon, and butter…

How much are you prejudiced by “fat myths”? Here is a short list of popular beliefs concerning body fat and exercise to test your knowledge!

Myth No 1: To “melt away” the fat accumulated around the hips and tummy, you should work out every day with an emphasis on sit-ups or stair stepping. Expensive exercise machines are the best equipment to help you eliminate fat spots.

Well, the statement is false. Although it sounds like a good idea, and many housewives and even athletes believe that heavy exercising of certain body areas  is the only way to reduce fat deposits on their “problematic spots”, vigorous target workouts won’t help you burn fat cells on the desired places. The fat which you manage to burn while dieting or exercising comes from all areas of your body, and it is the body and your specific genetics that decide which fat accumulations to burn. Moving particular muscle groups will not help you reduce fat on these areas – on the contrary, it can visually make them appear even bigger than they are, because you do increase the muscle mass with heavy exercise. This is why people, who vigorously work on their tummy muscles in hope to make them look flatter and more eye-pleasing, often end up with even more budging “spare tires”! The fat combined with an increased muscle mass makes them look bigger than before!

Therefore, do not waste your time on over-exercising, or it might contribute to additional “bulk” that you most probably won’t like. The best way to lose weight and melt fatty deposits is to eat a low-carb diet and stay moderately active.

Myth No 2:  To get rid of body fat, you should perform prolonged, low-intensity workouts, such as jogging, preferably early in the morning, before your first meal.

In fact, it does not matter if you exercise in the morning or in the evening, before or after meals. The key to weight loss is to create a carbohydrate deficit for the day, when the body is forced to burn its own fat deposits for fuel.

Myth No 3: The more you exercise, the more body fat you burn.

Exercise can help only if you consume a restricted amount of carbohydrates, but it won’t significantly contribute to fat loss if your diet is heavily loaded with breads, starches, and sugars. It is better to use moderate exercise as a tool to maintain healthy weight, relieve stress that can trigger over-eating, and speed up your metabolism. However, strenuous workouts can stimulate an increased appetite for carbohydrate foods and even slow down your metabolism, meaning that the more you exercise the hungrier you become and the less your body is willing to burn its fat deposits. This is a natures’ wonderful protective job to not let your body waste away!

Myth No 4: If you don’t exercise for a week or so, your muscles will turn into fat.

This statement is false because muscles cannot transform into fat (nor can fat turn into muscles). A sedentary lifestyle usually leads to a reduced muscle tone, and muscle tissue can actually shrink in size. If you also constantly overeat, extra fat will take more space, and this is what can make you feel and look flabby.

Myth No 5: Cellulite occurs in those who tend to change different diets and repeatedly gain and lose weight.

Cellulite is still little understood, but most doctors believe that its bumpy, bulging appearance is caused by genetically-induced hormonal fluctuations, especially in women. Neither dieting nor exercising can help eliminate cellulite, but a low-carb dietary regime can reduce the total amount of fat tissue and make cellulite look smaller.

Lada Brown