Tons of fun, lots of laughter, several glasses of wine over good meals, and lots of good workouts and runs later, I'm back home, grateful for the trip and a subsequent nutrition course taken over the weekend. Come the end of May, I'll be a certified nutritionist, and I'm excited to offer new tips and services to my clients when that time comes. So, continuing with my ode to April's issue of Runner's World and their great article exposing weight-loss myths, here are some more truths to keep you motivated and encouraged as you stay consistent and keep moving towards your goals:
#4. Lift Less Weight with More Reps to Get Toned
The Truth: The bottom line is, if you're not working hard enough, you won't really see results. Most of us (yes, even those of you who think you're in "bad" shape) could lift 5 lbs from now until tomorrow afternoon without much burn - my clients know how I feel about going too easy on weights! To get toned, you need larger muscles and less fat, and challenging your muscles through heavier lifting is a way to do just that. Many people, women especially, are worried that they will bulk up if they lift too heavy of weight, but we're just talking about going heavy enough to feel it - the weight needs to be challenging in order to see results. You don't need to give up lighter weights - they do a better job at improving muscular endurance. A solid resistance program should include periods of both high and low reps, and you can change up your program every four to six weeks. This continues to challenge your muscles and keeps shocking your body so you don't get too used to the movements you're taking your muscles through. Muscle responds to resistance, so if it's too light, you simply won't see results.
#5. You Can "Make Up" Weekend Splurges
The Truth: When you break it down, Saturday and Sunday represent about 30% of the week, so if your weekends continually consist of "giving in" and using the "it's the weekend" excuse, your lifestyle and habits will catch up with you soon enough. Unfortunately, mindless eating and indulgence can counteract your good eating habits from the weekdays before the weekend. Again, consistency is key. Live in balance and stay consistent across the board.
#6. You Have to Ban "Bad Foods"
The Truth: More often than not, those who stick to restrictive diets usually experience a backfiring effect: they go overboard on their vices. Before making strict changes, ask yourself, "Can I live without peanut butter cheesecake (or licorice or wine or ice cream) for the rest of my life?" The answer is probably no...and not many people can leave the foods they love cold turkey! Try following the 80:20 Rule: eat well, exercise regularly, and make healthy choices 80% of the time. The other 20% of the time live a little - sleep in, miss a workout, enjoy that glass of wine or slice of chocolate cake. Don't let your 20% turn to 30 or 40% and stockpile on the weekends; spread it out and keep those weekends healthy. As long as you're reducing your overall intake, you don't need to nix any one food from your diet.
#7. Eating At Night Causes Weight Gain
The Truth: A calorie is a calorie no matter when you eat it. As long as your total caloric intake for the day is the same, it doesn't matter when you're actually ingesting those calories. Although you may have a slightly higher metabolism during the day (your metabolism literally sleeps while you do!), evening eating and its effect on weight loss is likely quite trivial. Just be sensible of eating mindless calories at night that you don't actually need. If, however, you work out at night, your muscles need refuelling (think: protein! complex carbs!) and you shouldn't be afraid to give it to them. Eating smaller meals throughout the day and pre-planning your evening meals instead of grabbing whatever's on hand in the kitchen while you're thinking of what to make will help ward off night eating and unwanted calories, but sensible snacks in the scope of the whole day are okay.
#8. Low-Fat Foods Are a Healthy Choice
The Truth: Look around your grocery store on your next visit at the labels, the advertising, the phraseology, and the commercials on TV and you'll be bombarded with low-cal, low-fat foods right and left. Then look at our nation's obesity problem. There seems to be a disconnect between these low-fat foods on the market and what they are doing to our bodies when we think we are making healthy choices. Low-fat foods may have the same (and sometimes more!) calories than their "regular fat" food counterparts because of added sugar to make up for the lack of taste without the fat. Moreover, low-fat foods can still contain trans and saturated fats which both increase your risks of heart disease. Ironic, no? You're more likely to indulge in more handfuls of low-fat trail mix or several more low-fat cookies as compared to the full-fat versions, leading you to eat more calories in the long run. And over-consuming calories leads to, unsurprisingly, weight gain. Sometimes the "real deal" in smaller amounts is better than a lesser version of your favourite foods; read your labels, check out the sugar contents, and be wise about what exactly you're putting into your body.
Thanks to Runner's World (and a bit of personal insight from my nutrition course this last weekend), you now have 4 more weight-loss myths exposed. Tune back in later this week for the last instalment of Surprising Slimming Truths. Feel free to post your thoughts, comments, or questions below! Dialogue is a beautiful thing. :) Until then, keep moving, eat thoughtfully, and be well!
-Bonnie
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