As far back as 2009, Time magazine ran a cover story titled “The Myth About Exercise”. The author complains that he exercises regularly but doesn’t lose any weight. He’s weighed 163 pounds (which is about average, for an average North American man, of average build) for most of his adult life. So he wonders “why isn’t all the exercise wiping it (extra weight) out?”
In a separate issue, the jury is still out on whether it’s better to eat three square meals a day, or a number of smaller meals throughout the day. Proponents of the smaller meals theory say it reduces calorie intake. Advocates for three squares say the smaller meal plan causes you to produce insulin all day, which puts your body in fat storage mode, making weight loss more difficult.
On another front, many gyms and diet weight loss centres seem to fill the magazines, websites and TV programs you look at with images of perfect, chiselled bodies. Bodies that, no matter how much you use that same gym, you can’t come even close to achieving.
There is Only One Truth About Weight Loss
Sometimes all the competing and conflicting theories, advice, fad diets and news stories make it difficult for you to keep your eye on the prize; a healthier body weight.
The oldest truth about weight loss is still the only truth: the only way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories than you burn.
That’s it. Done. You now know every weight loss secret that exists.
Here’s how the “eat less than you burn” weight loss truth applies to the three fads and bits of conflicting advice we outlined above
“The Myth About Exercise”
The author of the article says exercise doesn’t help you lose weight because – are you ready for this – exercise makes you eat more, which wipes out its benefit. Clearly exercise isn’t the problem, the author does not eat fewer calories than he burns. It would be a grave mistake to rob yourself of all the benefits of exercise because of this “theory”.
Three Squares vs. Grazing
In this case, you need to find out what works best for you. Many people prefer eating smaller meals throughout the day and they have lost weight doing so. But not because of the change in the number of times they eat, but because they ate fewer calories than they burned.
Gyms & Weight Loss Centres
More reputable gyms and weight loss centres are excellent ways to get to a lower weight and maintain physical fitness. But only if you use them as part of your overall weight loss plan to either burn extra calories, or healthily reduce your calorie intake.
The Role of Nutrition: While it’s true that eating fewer calories than you burn is the path to successful weight loss, too many people take that as an invitation to drastically cut calorie intake and/or over exercise – neither of which are particularly good for you.
Cutting calories or burning too many can rob your body of essential nutrients, which, in turn, can trigger your body’s natural defence mechanisms against too much nutrition loss. The result is your body might actually fight against your weight loss efforts.
The professional nutrition consultants at your local Herbal One Nutrition and Weight Loss Centre know how to tailor a weight loss program specially for you so that you maintain healthy levels of nutrition while you lose weight and keep it off.