Busting Weight Loss Myths

Losing Weight Is Linear

Many individuals expect to make a diet plan and then steadily lose a set number of pounds each week. However, weight loss does not typically work this way. It is more common to lose a large amount quickly before weight loss tapers off and possibly plateaus for a few weeks and then drops a little more. This happens because you drop a lot of water weight when you first start a diet, and progress will stall because you are burning fewer calories as you get smaller and have less mass to support. Believing losing weight is linear can be dangerous because you can get frustrated when you are doing the same thing you have been doing but do not see any results. If you hit a plateau, try to recalculate your total daily energy expenditure with your new weight to see if you need to cut more calories. Otherwise, try to keep things consistent and remember the lack of weight loss may be due to water weight.

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Radical Exercise And Diets Are The Only Ways To Lose Weight

When individuals think radical exercise and diets are the only ways to lose weight, the idea of weight loss tends to be a little overwhelming and scary. Try to remember people actually have more success losing weight and keeping the pounds off when they make minor lifestyle changes instead of jumping into serious diets. Consistency is key to weight loss, and drastic diets or intense exercise can be hard to maintain. You might find you get burnt out after a few weeks of eating nothing but lean chicken breasts and spending hours in the gym each day. A change you can sustain comfortably for long periods, such as sipping herbal tea instead of soda or cooking your own lunch to bring to work, is more likely to result in permanent weight loss. In fact, slower methods can actually be more beneficial because they put less stress on the body and prevent loose skin.

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