Myth 1 – Sitting or even exercising in a sauna aids fat loss
This is an age-old myth that stems from boxers using saunas to make weight for a fight. These already lean boxers simply used the sauna to increase sweat loss and therefore weight loss. There is also thinking that the extra heat will cause the body to burn more energy and therefore greater fat loss will occur. This is actually the exact opposite of what one should really do! Prolonged cold exposure has been shown to increase thyroid output, therefore increasing metabolism and the burning of fat.

Myth 2 – Low fat diets are the best way to lose weight.
Fat is an essential nutrient to the body. If you were to cut out all the fat from your diet you would die, plain and simple. Fat is necessary for the transport of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K around the body. Similarly, fat is use to build hormones, the same hormones we need to build a good-looking physique and lose weight. Low fat diets lead to dysfunctional hormone production, poor maintenance and energy levels and impaired mood. A number of fats, especially the omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA have actually been shown to benefit a fat loss program.

Myth 3 – Omega 3 fatty acids are great for fat loss
“Hey, but you just said?” Ok, so some omega 3 fatty acids are great, however do not be fooled into believing all are. The two best fatty acids for fat loss are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid that are found in the fat of fish. These two have been shown to promote many health benefits but also to promote fat loss! However, you should not be confused with other omega 3 fatty acids, such as ∞ -linolenic acid (ALA), which have a very poor conversion to the valuable EPA.

Myth 4 – No carb diets are the best way to lose weight.
No carb diets have had their hay day. No carbohydrate diets are certainly not the best thing for sustained fat loss… Prolonged no carbohydrate intake has been shown to lower levels of leptin, a hormone that is involved in aspects of body composition and metabolism. This said, a lowered intake of carbohydrates can be a great way of controlling total calorie intake and increasing fat burning. An easy and practical way of doing this is to replace some of the starchy carbs (potato, rice) in each meal with extra green leafy vegetables (fibrous carbs).

Myth 5 – Exercising in the ‘fat burning zone’ will lead to greater fat loss.
This is a terrible mistake, which all too many people make! The reason this myth may have spread so widely is because its nice to hear that by not exercising very hard you will burn more fat. Unfortunately, in reality, this is not the case. While low exercise intensities do burn a high percentage of fat, the total amount of calories and calories from fat that are burned during higher intensity exercise is much higher! Therefore, you can get the same benefit in half the time or less whilst also improving your cardiovascular fitness.

Myth 6 – Sit-ups will give you a toned, flat stomach.
One can see why a misconception or myth such as this has come about but unfortunately, if you can’t see your stomach muscles then the last thing you should be doing is sit ups. Everyone has a good set of abs; however, only when body fat levels are low enough can we see them. The best way to lose body fat is to burn a lot of calories, sit ups do not do this, doing interval training (hard exercise interspersed with periods of rest) does.

Myth 7 – Red meat is bad for your weight loss and health
First and foremost red meat is full of a range of vitamins and minerals including the all important iron, necessary for the production of haemoglobin. Without which we would lack energy and fat oxidation could be impaired. Red meat is also known to keep individuals feeling full for longer as it contains high amounts of protein, which aid satiety. Add to this the fact that red meat does not have to be overly fatty and we see why a steak can be eaten on any weight loss plan.

Myth 8 – Lifting weights will cause women to become big and bulky
This is simply not true. Women too often shy away from this fantastic tool for bettering their physique in the belief that weights will cause them to gain too much muscle. Females simply do not have the hormonal profile to gain a lot of muscle however, lifting heavy weights will allow them to maintain muscle on a diet. Keeping lean muscle ensures after your diet that your metabolism has not been diminished which would make maintaining the new weight even harder.

Myth 9 – Lifting light weights, a lot of times will help to ‘tone’ the muscle
This myth has been brought about by certain trainers pampering to their clients who believe myth 8. Lifting heavy weights lots of times is much better for weight loss since the amount of calories burnt relates to the total work that is done. Weights can be a great tool for forming part of an interval training workout and maximising fat loss goals.

This article was adapted by ‘The Sun’ read it here .