Six common misconceptions about exercise for weight loss: the misconception that spot reduction and higher intensity are always better.

Myth #4: There are options for comprehensive or targeted exercise for weight loss.

People often hear or see phrases like "reduce waist," "reduce hips," and "reduce arms" in advertisements.

So, can localized exercise reduce localized fat? First, localized exercise consumes less energy overall, is easily tiring, and cannot be sustained for long periods. Second, fat energy is regulated by the nervous and endocrine systems.

However, this adjustment is systemic; it doesn't mean that exercising only one part of the body can reduce excess fat in that specific area.

It's not that you can lose weight in places with good blood supply, which is conducive to fat burning.

For example, after a period of exercise, an overweight person's waistline may not shrink much, but their cheeks may become thinner, and this is the reason why.

When the amount of calories burned through exercise exceeds the amount of calories consumed, it will lead to a reduction in body fat, not just in the abdomen while other parts of the body remain unchanged.

Myth 5: The greater the intensity and the more vigorous the exercise, the better the weight loss effect.

In fact, only sustained, low-intensity aerobic exercise can help people burn excess fat.

This is because during low-intensity exercise, muscles mainly use oxidized fatty acids to obtain energy, which makes fat consumption faster.

As exercise intensity increases, the proportion of fat burned actually decreases.

When approaching high-intensity exercise (the explosive force used in weightlifting consumes carbohydrates, not fat), fat only accounts for 15% of the energy supply.

Therefore, easy, gentle, long-duration low-intensity exercise or long-duration exercise with a heart rate maintained at 100-124 beats per minute is most beneficial for weight loss.

Myth 6: You should not consume nutrients when exercising to lose weight.

In fact, adequate intake of nutrients (protein, trace elements, vitamins, etc.) is beneficial for weight loss through exercise.

First, very little protein is converted into fat in the body.

Insufficient protein intake not only harms health, but also reduces muscle growth during exercise for weight loss, slows down metabolism, and lowers the rate of fat oxidation in the body.

Secondly, the human body contains a variety of trace elements, and the macroelements that are easily deficient include calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc.

If the body lacks these elements, it will slow down the oxidation process of fat in the body, affecting the weight loss effect.

In addition, insufficient vitamin intake can also affect the oxidation process of fat in the body.

Practice has shown that the main vitamins closely related to exercise for weight loss include B₁, B₂, B₁₂, and C.

Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to the proper intake of certain nutrients when exercising to lose weight.

Myth #7: Swimming can help you lose weight.

Some obese people often pin their hopes on swimming.

They believed that the resistance of water and the heat conduction of cold water could burn off excess body fat.

The reality is quite the opposite; the stimulation of low water temperature will significantly accelerate the synthesis of fat in the human body that has the function of keeping warm, and can also increase appetite and increase food intake.

Harvard Medical School in the United States once divided 150 obese women into three groups: swimming, walking, and cycling, and had them engage in the same amount of exercise that burned the same number of calories each day.

Six months later, it was found that walkers lost an average of 10.5 kg, cyclists lost an average of 7 kg, and swimmers gained an average of 1.8 kg.

Weight Loss Q&A

Do I have to remove bread from my recipes?

No.

Bread is a carbohydrate food that breaks down into simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates during digestion.

It can be eaten alternately with other high-carbohydrate foods in your diet, and bread is a good option as long as you like.

Breads with added oil, cheese, sesame seeds, or nuts have a higher fat content, so it's best to avoid these types of bread.

Do you have to do intense exercise to burn fat?

Unless you consistently engage in high-intensity exercise over a long period, you'll burn more fat than with moderate, sustained exercise.

During the first 30 minutes of exercise, most of the calories burned come from stored carbohydrates (glycogen). After 30 minutes, the body begins to use more fat and less carbohydrates as an energy source.

Intense exercise burns more fat, but only if you can keep going for 30 minutes.

It is best to choose exercises that you can do continuously, that engage most muscles, that last for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour, that are of appropriate intensity and that you can tolerate.

As long as you persist in exercising every day, even if you miss a few days occasionally, it's not a big deal; something is better than nothing.

If you dislike exercising at a fixed time, be flexible and, if possible, exercise several times a day.

Do medications help with weight loss?

Most experts believe it has no effect.

Some so-called "health" drugs claim to effectively "burn fat" because they contain carnitine, which plays an important role in metabolizing fat.

If the body lacks carnitine, it cannot metabolize fat properly.

However, this does not mean that more carnitine will necessarily burn more fat.

Most people have enough carnitine in their bodies to handle any excess fat.

Some medications can cause short-term weight loss by numbing the stomach's hunger or increasing nervous system activity.

Due to potential chemical side effects, they become ineffective over time and may even lead to anorexia.

In the long run, weight loss drugs are more harmful than beneficial.

Don't spirits make you fat like beer and whiskey?

Strong liquor causes weight gain to the same extent as other alcoholic beverages.

The sugar content in alcoholic beverages is not the key factor causing weight gain, and alcohol alone cannot affect waist and hip circumference.

Alcohol does not convert into fat, but it does promote fat storage.

The calories generated by alcohol in alcoholic beverages cannot be stored in the body, so the body consumes alcohol first, and then other fuels.

Alcohol is often consumed with high-fat snacks, such as nuts or potato chips.

Unfortunately, any fat consumed with alcohol will be stored directly as fat.

Similarly, calories from other nutrients are more likely to be converted into fat if consumed with alcohol.

Do you have to starve yourself to lose weight?

No.

Hunger is a signal that you need to eat.

If you ignore it, it may disappear temporarily, but it will come back soon, even stronger.

If you keep ignoring this signal, it will gradually become less responsive to the body's needs and eventually stop responding.

Choosing healthy foods to satisfy a hungry stomach is always better than eating anything when you're starving.

Ideally, one should feel hungry regularly and then be quickly satisfied.

This indicates that your metabolism is in good condition, and calories are being burned rather than stored in your body.

What if I don't have time to exercise?

Make time.

Some very busy people make sure to exercise every day because exercise is the first priority on their schedule, not the last.

The only reason you don't have time to exercise is that you don't value it enough.

You must recognize the consequences: if you don't exercise, it will be more difficult to achieve or maintain good health.

What if I don't like eating vegetables or fruits?

Disliking certain "healthy" foods doesn't mean you can't find a healthy recipe.

Because of its nutritional content, food is generally considered to be beneficial to health.

If you can get your nutrients from other foods, your diet can be just as nutritionally balanced as that of someone who doesn't have a picky diet.

If you don't like a certain food, such as fruit, vegetables, or dairy products, you can ask a nutritionist to help you create a nutritionally balanced diet.

What if I have an uncontrollable sweet tooth?

The more sweets you eat, the more you want to eat them.

Gradually wean yourself off sweets, making them an occasional treat.

When you don't eat them often, they taste sweeter and you don't need them as much as before.

You can eat some sweets that satisfy your sweetness without too much fat, such as juice gummies.

Moderate exercise can completely burn off a large amount of sugar. Wouldn't it be a win-win situation to use sugar as a reward for exercise?

What if I have an insatiable love for chocolate?

You need to learn to control yourself.

Cultivate a good relationship with chocolate, rather than indulging in a binge and then hating yourself for it.

You can prepare some low-fat chocolate-flavored foods, such as low-fat hot chocolate drinks, low-fat chocolate ice cream, chocolate jam, and low-fat chocolate muffins. These can satisfy your cravings while avoiding excessive fat intake.

I have a strong craving for food a few days before my period. Is this normal?

Because your metabolism speeds up before your period, you do need to eat more food; this is a physiological need.

You can eat more carbohydrate-rich foods, which will satisfy your needs while avoiding excessive intake of high-fat and high-nutrient foods.

In addition, you can eat more foods high in phytoestrogens, which can help alleviate mood swings and appetite fluctuations during menstruation.

Women who regularly consume these types of foods (including soy products, flaxseed, rye, oats, beans, etc.) experience significant improvement in the above symptoms.