The goal of today’s post is to put to rest a handful of myths that continue to resurface like sightings of the Loch Ness Monster.
You get the idea. And, of course, they all sound great. Only problem is it's not true. Juice cleansing to lose weight may actually cause weight gain! Fruit juices have a high sugar content which can cause a spike in insulin levels. If you down too many high-calorie glasses, your weight will balloon like a Thanksgiving day float. If you want the nutrition of fruits, eat a real peach or a mango- whatever fruit you fancy. Because the fruit you eat has fiber which helps fill you up so you consume less calories and minimize insulin spikes. So grab a summer peach and enjoy!
- A pill will melt the pounds away. If there was a magic pill out there it would have made front page news. The pill manufacture will show you pictures of before and after and in small print tell you diet and exercise played a role. Of course it did. Because truth be told, THAT combination is the THE magic formula. But it requires effort and discipline.
- Spot Reduction. On average, I hear the following claim three times a week. "I do 50 sit-ups a day and I still have a belly! What other Ab exercises can I do to lose this belly and get a six pack?" Spot reduction is a myth. Truth is you can't fat reduce in one area. When you take this spot reduction approach, you are, in fact, working one area at the expense of others. The imbalance of muscle development can create unintended structural problems.
- Dogmatically following one fitness program or regimen. E.g. “Cardio is the only way to lose weight." Or "Doing hula hoops with a 50-lb weighted vest hanging from Olympic rings is the only way to burn fat" (This one is silly but very challenging, I would imagine!) The next latest craze might be ‘Military Mud Bear, Snake, Crocodile, Shark Obstacle Race’ where contestants traverse a military style obstacle course laden with mammal eating predators. Or MMA uni-cycling where uni-cyclists traverse the Alpe d'Huez pausing only to exchange a few blows with other riders. If it safely gets you into shape, great! But it’s not the only way to lose weight or be active. Truth is you should try a variety of different workouts. Build around what you like and branch out. And if you think your thing is the ultimate wait a minute or two because something else will come along... Arctic Yoga anyone?
- Juicing. Not the A-Rod type (allegedly). I’m talking about Juice Fasting or Juice Cleansing.The type that proponents claim will help you do any and/or all of the following:
- Lose weight
- Have more energy
- Cure cancer
- Boost your immune system
- A miracle liquid for your body
- Detox the body
You get the idea. And, of course, they all sound great. Only problem is it's not true. Juice cleansing to lose weight may actually cause weight gain! Fruit juices have a high sugar content which can cause a spike in insulin levels. If you down too many high-calorie glasses, your weight will balloon like a Thanksgiving day float. If you want the nutrition of fruits, eat a real peach or a mango- whatever fruit you fancy. Because the fruit you eat has fiber which helps fill you up so you consume less calories and minimize insulin spikes. So grab a summer peach and enjoy!
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