There are some myths
surrounding weight loss we’d like to discuss so you can be better informed
about what you’re eating.
Calories Count
When it comes to losing
weight calories count. Of all the various ways to lose weight a simple
technique is that to lose weight you reduce your calorie intake. It doesn’t
have to be any more complex than that.
Of course you can try to
reduce fat or carbs or any number of fad diets but they are just that – fads.
What people come back to is cutting calories by a modest amount and starting an
exercise program.
1 pound in weight is
roughly equivalent to 3500 calories. So, cutting 500 calories off your daily
intake for a week is 500 x 7 = 3500 = 1 pound lost!
Add in the calories lost
through exercising and that’s how you achieve sustainable, permanent weight
loss at the rate of 1 to 2 pounds per week.
Carbs & Fat Do NOT Make You Fat
Another popular
misconception is that carbs and fat make you fat. They don’t. Both are
essential part of a healthy balanced diet. Carbs in particular are the
cornerstone of any runner’s diet.
Yes, if you are trying to
lose weight then the quantities and type need to change but you can still
include these macro-nutrients in your diet and lose weight.
Carbohydrates are your
body’s main source of fuel. Carbohydrates are stored in your muscles and liver
as glycogen and are found in the bloodstream as glucose. Cut carbs too much and
you can’t exercise properly.
Carbohydrates are found in
bread, pasta, potatoes, oats, fruits, vegetables, nuts & lentils. Where
possible choose wholegrain carbs.
Aim to make carbs count for
around 50% of your daily calorie intake.
Fats often get a bad
reputation among dieters. The surprising this is they are also an essential
part of a healthy diet. In fact, there is a sub-category of fats called
“essential fatty acids!”
Fats have many important
roles including correct functioning of the brain, nervous-system and immune
system. They also form the building blocks of anti-inflammatory chemicals in
our bodies. Fats are used to make cell membranes and protect internal organs.
Healthy fats can be found
in nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil and oily fish such as salmon.
Aim to
make healthy fats count for around 25% of your daily calorie intake.
You Do Need To Watch Low-Fat Foods
Low fat foods might seem
like a sensible option. After all, you’re trying to lose weight so why not
choose the low-fat or even zero-fat option?
Well sometime these foods
are a good choice. BUT… some of them
are loaded with sugar to improve the taste. When buying low-fat foods take a
look at the calorie content.
Strength Training Will Help Your Weight Loss
Runners who want to lose
weight avoid gym work and strength training. The two thoughts guiding this
thinking are “weights will make me big, bulky and slow” and “I burn more
calories with running”.
Here’s the truth:
It takes a very strict diet
and a punishing weight training routine to build big bulky muscles. The type of
strength training that a typical runner would do does not lead to this
type of muscle bulk.
Strength training is
actually a great way to burn calories, after all the energy to lift those
weights has to come from somewhere doesn’t it? Improving your lean muscle mass
over fat can also aid longer term weight management - muscle cells have a higher
metabolic rate than fat cells, in other words they use more energy at rest. If
you’re leaner you’ll burn calories while you sleep.
Longer Cardio Sessions Don’t Always Mean More Calories Burned
It’s an easy assumption to
make – running burns calories so running for longer means burning even more.
Not necessarily…
Some runners fall into the
trap of running for a long time but running so slowly there is little or no
training effect. Yes, running does burn up those calories but some studies have
shown that two 30 minute sessions at a higher intensity use up more calories
than one sixty minute session at a lower intensity. In other words, you have to
sweat just a little J
We'll be looking more
closely at how you can change your running routine to boost your weight loss
later in this report.
|
One
of
the
most
important
things
for
you
to
remember
is
that
your
increased
activity
level
is
NOT an
excuse
to
cheat!
Maintain
a
healthy
diet
and
you
will
lose
weight. By
the
same
token,
you
will
NOT help
your
weight
loss
by
skipping
meals.
Eating
healthy
foods
and
eating
regularly
is
rule
number
1!
|