8 myths about weight loss

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2012-05-02

1. To lose weight, you shouldn't eat after a workout.

After you expend energy in your next workout, your body seeks to replenish that energy. If it doesn’t happen, it sends a signal that at every opportunity, it should store even more fat. However, if you immediately satisfy your body's energy needs, it won't "worry" about reserves for a "rainy day."

2. Weight loss clothing helps you lose weight.

All these shorts, leggings, and neoprene belts do not help you lose weight; they make you sweat. And those are two different things. With sweat, you lose water, not fat. An increase in body temperature cannot make your fat tissue “melt.” You will still replenish water loss later (unless you are an enemy to your body). In general, you don’t need to be a physiologist to understand that losing a liter of water is not the same as losing a kilogram of fat.

3. To lose weight in a specific area, you need to train those muscles.

Weight loss in a specific area by choice is fundamentally impossible. You either lose weight everywhere or you don't lose weight at all. Your body determines the most suitable places for fat storage. No amount of exercise will change that. Additionally, training muscles alone does not lead to a reduction in fat tissue.

4. L-Carnitine and other supplements help with weight loss.

On one hand, they do help. The essence of most of these supplements is to assist the body in transporting fatty acids. But only if the body has that need. In the absence of regular physical activity, it’s unlikely to feel that need. With sufficient exercise intensity, you will lose weight without these supplements. Therefore, while they do provide some help, that help is fairly minimal. You can read more in the article: L-Carnitine – principle of action and effectiveness.

5. You don't need to drink after workouts to lose weight.

It seems like the body will have to draw water from fat tissue. On one hand, this is somewhat correct. But on the other hand, you would have to really push your body to make it do that. Moreover, you will still unknowingly replenish lost water throughout the day. Just by suffering from thirst first. So, in my opinion, it's better to avoid this "barbaric" approach.

6. If I just "pump iron," I will lose weight.

As I mentioned earlier, strength training alone is not very effective for weight loss. If you engage in strength training only, it's unlikely you will lose weight. However, that doesn't mean you can't lose weight at the gym. Your workouts just need to be considerably more intense and closer to aerobic. You can read more in the article: Can you lose weight in the gym?.

7. To lose weight, you need to eat as little as possible.

This is not entirely true. You should consume about 15% - 20% fewer calories than you expend daily. With this approach, you can lose approximately 4-5 kg per month. Believe me: this is the optimal speed. This caloric expenditure calculator will help you with your calculations. Additionally, it's not just about the quantity of calories; the quality also matters. Part of your fats and carbohydrates should be replaced with proteins.

8. To lose weight, you should not eat after 6 PM.

This is not crucial and does not make any difference. If your workout ends at 9 PM, eat nonetheless. You have "earned" it. Think about it: by refusing to eat after 6 PM, you're leaving your body without food for 13-14 hours. That’s more than half a day. During that time, your body will start breaking down not only fat but also muscle. In summary, we return to the first point of our article and read it again.