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The 10 Biggest Lies Blokes Believe About Weight Loss part two of two

Posted: 02/11/2009 at 08:28pm by Rich Leigh, founder of Fat Free Fitness

Part two of the article I wrote for leading men's wedding website www.iamstaggered.co.uk

Myth Six: Muscle turns to fat and vice versa

If there’s one thing that I’ve written about more than any other topic, it’s about people believing that muscle can turn to fat and vice versa.

The two tissues are scientifically distinct, and it’s 100% impossible for one to miraculously transform into the other. So no, Arnie didn’t get saggy because he stopped doing steroids and weight lifting and his muscle turned to fat. Arnie got saggy because his muscle atrophied (basically, wasted away due to disuse) and it was his eating habits that led to him having a beautiful set of man boobs.

This ties in nicely with Myth One: if you want to unveil a set of abs that could turn Rosie O’Donnell straight, getting rid of the body fat is the only way to do it.

Myth Seven: You don’t need to do cardio to lose weight

If thinking about a treadmill is enough to bring you out in a sweat, this next statement might leave you hospitalised. Warn somebody around you, and then continue.

If you’re looking to lose weight, tone up or trim down in a timeframe, you’ll need to do some cardiovascular (CV – anything aerobic, such as jogging) exercise.

I’ve lost count of the number of men I and my trainers have trained who thought that solely weight training would trim them up quickly (back to myth one). Whilst resistance training is hugely beneficial, as the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn (even at rest), CV is essential to trim those unwanted inches.

If you’ve stepped foot in a gym, you’ve probably seen that overweight guy who seemingly never moves away from the bench press. If you go to a gym but haven’t seen this guy, chances are, he’s you.

There’s bound to be some CV you’ll enjoy. Skipping, running, boxing, cycling, rowing, cross-training, playing sport and swimming are some examples of exercise which can help you shed fat fast. If you don’t fancy going it alone, there are literally dozens of classes available at your local gym or leisure centre. It’s no longer in some way ‘unmanly’ to go to classes. In fact, most of my classes were filled with men looking to trim down, especially the circuits and spinning sessions.

Myth Eight: Steroids and/or fat loss tablets are the answer

Although the wedding may be fast approaching, don’t be tempted to give in to steroids and fat loss tablets. This may get preachy, but bear with me.

You see, both have a list of potential side effects longer than Simon Cowell’s tailor’s tape measure, but even more than that, they’re not really the quick fixes they’re made out to be.

People don’t really talk openly about them, but let’s take steroids for instance. There isn’t a professional bodybuilder who doesn’t or hasn’t regularly taken testosterone in the form of steroids. But let’s be honest, these guys are athletes. They don’t just whack it in, go to bed and wake up as monsters. They dedicate their lives to the art, both in and outside of the gym. They respect the side effects and take the expensive yet informed choice to not only take steroids, but also take courses of hormones in between ‘cycles’ to ensure against the side effects that result from not having as much testosterone coursing through their veins. Most recreational users though, the Joe Public amongst us, wouldn’t know to do this, and really just shouldn’t dabble.

Many exercisers I know have decided to take steroids; which is of course, their choice entirely, but some didn’t bank on the fact that as in myth six, muscle that isn’t needed by the body wastes. So, they finish their cycle, from which they’ve packed on some muscle, and then lose a large amount of it in a short space of time, making it obvious they took steroids to everybody around them. So what do they do? They take another course. And so, the reliance begins.

But let’s be honest, all you want to do is lose some weight for the wedding, or maybe just not look like your evenings are spent dining out with Johnny Vegas, right?

Fat loss tablets may seem like a good idea then. Until you learn that they’re only ever a short term answer, and don’t address the psychological aspect of weight loss and any issues you may have with food. As soon as you stop taking them (many of which don’t work entirely) you’ll pile the pounds back on, and have had incontinence that the Victorians would have thought excessive.

Myth Nine: Low fat or fat free means no calories

Low fat or no fat foods aren’t necessarily the diet saviours they’re marketed to be. Fat is the most caloric (high in calories) nutrient there is. In every single gram of fat, there are 7 calories, whereas in every gram of protein or carbohydrates, there are 4 calories.

So, if something is low fat, it could still have a huge amount of carbohydrates, the body’s primary source of fuel. If these calories aren’t used, they will be stored by your body for later, and it won’t be as Gladiator-like muscle. Nope, it’ll settle itself nicely around your gut, in probability.

Myth Ten: Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight

When you skip a meal, your body starts to wonder why it's not getting any food and it will resort to how it’d deal with being starved: by slowing down your metabolism.

A slower metabolism means you’ll burn fewer calories throughout the day, and you’ll also feel a lot hungrier quicker, thus more likely to snack. Let’s be honest, you’re not likely to pick a banana, or a handful of nuts to snack on are you? Chances are, you’ll head straight for the food which’ll sate your appetite quickest, no doubt the stodgiest, most carb loaded thing you can find.

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