3 weight-loss myths

Want to separate fact from fiction when it comes to weight loss? We’ve got you sorted with these 3 weight-loss myths

The world of fat loss can be a tricky one, especially as new information is constantly emerging, making things pretty confusing. That’s why we’ve asked Fitness First’s UK Personal Training Manager, Chris Ward, to help bust those weight-loss myths once and for all, fast-tracking your hot-body results.

MYTH: ‘Lifting heavy weights won’t help me lose weight.’

Chris says: ‘Lifting heavier weights for lower reps will stimulate a strength gain, rather than a muscle-building adaptation. This might suit the goal of someone who is looking for weight loss, because using a broad range of strength exercises will encourage more muscle fibres to engage in lifting the weight. These muscle fibres then become more efficient at working not just during your workouts, but also in everyday movements. This will help to elevate your basal metabolic rate (think of it like your car engine on tickover) so that your daily calorie output is elevated, assisting in a weight-loss strategy.’

MYTH: ‘I need to work out for a long time to get results.’

Chris says: ‘Back-to-back classes will certainly cover the quantity element, but perhaps not the quality… Studies have shown that if you recruit a large amount of muscle tissue by performing large, multi-directional movements (like a walking lunge pattern), and do so at a higher intensity, but for a short period of time, effects on both cardiovascular fitness, anaerobic fitness, and strength-endurance, can outweigh a longer session, where the intensity is bound to tail off toward the end.’

MYTH: ‘If I’m tired I should just power through a session anyway.’

Chris says: ‘If you overdo it at the gym and get injured (a common occurrence in the early stages of a gym membership) you may lose the exercise element of your lifestyle change. This will have knock-on effects on your hormones, confidence, and will to stick with your nutrition changes. So if you feel tired, listen to your body and take a rest. Physical tiredness (sometimes in the form of aching muscles) is a sign that your body is still in a ‘repairing’ phase, all the more reason to kick back, eat well, relax, and hit the gym hard the day after.’