If you think there are foods out there that’ll magically eat away at your wobbly bits we have bad news for you. Eating certain types of food alone has never and will never lead to fat loss. Fat burning only occurs when you have a calorie deficit, that’s when you burn more calories than you consume. Once this happens, your body prefers to break down fat in order to meet its caloric needs. And on that note, we think it’s time to bust a few more fat burning myths…
Fat Burning Myths
Myth 1: Low carb diet
We’ve all heard it: cutting carbs is a quick and easy way to lose fat. This is only true if you’re cutting carbs loaded with butter, cream or gravy. Carbs without the added nasties, especially complex carbs like brown rice, wholemeal bread or pulses, are great at regulating our bodies. Cutting them out entirely can lead to a build-up of ‘ketones’, which leads to tiredness and dehydration.
Myth 2: Food that speeds up your metabolism
Green tea, black coffee, spicy food and guacamole have all been said to work metabolic miracles. In actual fact, the impact of these foods on your metabolic rate are so small, it’s not worth putting too much thought into it. The sad truth is, there isn’t a sure-fire way to speed up your metabolism. It’s affected by age, body size and genetics – not the food you eat.
Ever blamed your body fat on a slow metabolism? Most of the time, this isn’t the case. It’s actually because we’re eating unhealthy snacks throughout the day, without realising how they stack up. So, next time you get a craving for a packet of crisps or a chocolate bar, swap this out for a low-calorie and nutritious snack instead.
Myth 3: Crash diet
One week it’s all about juicing and the next it’s all about no carbs. Stop the nonsense of fad diets, now! You may notice short-term fat loss, but you’re not going to help yourself in the long-term. It’s hard to maintain, you miss out on essential nutrients and you end up craving fatty, sugary food instead. Now, we’re not saying you can’t eat less. If that’s what you’re looking for, simply swap your regular dinner plate for a slightly smaller one.
Fat Burning Tips
Tip 1: Don’t skip breakfast
Did you know that almost half of the UK skips breakfast? We’re not exactly role models. But when we say it’s the most important meal of the day, we mean it. Even if it’s just a slice of toast or a small bowl of porridge, eating breakfast kicks off your metabolism for the day.
Tip 2: Measure your water intake
If you want the ultimate diet tweak staying hydrated throughout the day can make all the difference. Water contains no calories, no sugars, and drinking before meals can help reduce your appetite. Try for the recommended 8 glasses of water a day. This sounds simple, but it can be easy to lose track.
Tip 3: Good old exercise
Arguably the oldest trick in the book for fat burning. You don’t need to do anything too radical. All we recommend is 2 and a half hours of physical activity a week. This can be anything from taking the stairs more often to an intense spinning sesh.
