Most of us don’t want to wobble, it’s our stomachs. Quick to store up and stubborn to shift, most women know the frustration that excess tummy fat can bring. No matter how many diet tricks and fitness kicks we try, it seems to be a cruel fact of life we can do nothing about. Or is it? Could it be we’re just following the wrong rules? It’s time to wise up about the fitness myths that could be to blame for the bulge.
MYTH #1: ‘ALL FATS IN FOOD CAUSE BELLY FAT’
Busted! It’s true that fatty food can be very high in kilojoules and a big contributor to belly fat, but there’s a distinct dif erence between good fats and bad ones. Good fats, in moderation, provide your body with the energy it needs to function properly, whereas baddies will only clog your arteries and make you, well, fatter! Find good fats (lower in saturates) in nuts, avocados and oily fish. Cut down on bad fats (higher in saturates) from vegetable oil, butter and cream.
MYTH #2: ‘DOING LOTS OF AB EXERCISES EVERY DAY WILL GET RID OF MY TUM’
Busted! Sadly, it doesn’t matter how hard you train your abs, if there’s a thick layer of fat over them, you just won’t see the six-pack. To lose body fat, try compound exercises – which involve more than one muscle (try squats, lunges, push-ups) – combined with interval training for a cardio blast.
MYTH #3: ‘YOGA ISN’T A FAT-BURNING EXERCISE’
Busted! The right kind of yoga – one focusing on building strength, such as vinyasa flow – is a great fat blaster. You’ll also tone up, gain flexibility and work your core muscles. So many bonuses!
MYTH #4: ‘LONG-DISTANCE CARDIO IS THE BEST FOR BURNING FAT’
Busted! Wrong again. Long-distance cardiovascular exercise, such as marathon training, actually increases levels of the hormone cortisol in your body to such an extent it can encourage fat gain. Of course, if you’re regularly running long distances, you’ll be burning of huge kilojoules and, as long as you don’t eat them all up again, you’ll lose some fat. But if you want to burn it of in a time-ei cient, safe way that reduces the risk of injury, try interval training for at least 20 minutes.
MYTH #5: ‘WORKING IN THE “FAT-BURNING ZONE” WILL SLIM ME DOWN’
Busted! The ‘fat-burning zone’ is a myth. There is a zone of activity in which your body uses fat the most for fuel, but this doesn’t equate with more fat being burnt of . Why would it be ‘better’ for your body, and for fat loss, for you to work less hard in the ‘fat-burning zone’ than you would in the more intense ‘cardio zone’? Bottom line: the harder you work, the more fat you’ll lose. Heart-rate training is a much better method of gauging intensity.
MYTH #6: ‘DRINKING DIET COLA AND COFFEE WILL SPEED UP MY METABOLISM’
Busted! No, it won’t stop you eating too much. Instead, you’ll probably just make up for the ‘saved’ kilojoules later in the day. Diet drinks are full of artificial sweeteners and toxins that can cause bloating, while coffee disrupts insulin levels and makes you crave sweet things an hour or so later. Cut them out!
MYTH #7: ‘EATING LESS OFTEN WILL HELP ME LOSE FAT’
Busted! If you’re trying to lose fat, this is the worst thing you can do. Ideally, you should eat five to six small meals a day, with a portion of protein in each one to keep your metabolism stoked and burning without overloading. If you’re often out to dinner, try to eat three balanced meals a day with two healthy snacks in between.
MYTH #8: ‘IT’S NOT MY DIET, I’M JUST REALLY UNLUCKY’
Busted! Erm, sorry but this one just doesn’t wash. While people have a tendency to store fat in
different places, it’s still possible to get it of with the right nutrition and exercise regimen. In particular, the love handles at the sides of the belly are associated with a diet heavy in refined carbohydrates (such as white bread and white pasta) and refined sugar (biscuits, cakes, chocolate and all the sweet, yummy things we love).
MYTH #9: ‘FAT-BURNING PILLS WILL FLATTEN MY STOMACH’
Busted! Most fat-burning pills are stuf ed full of caf eine, which may boost your metabolism a tad, but there’s an inevitable and usually hideous comedown. If you are going to take some anyway (can we say again that it isn’t a great idea), be wary of the ingredients and do your research first.
MYTH #10: ‘LIPOSUCTION IS THE ONLY BACK-UP PLAN’
Busted! Maybe, if you’re prepared to go under the knife for fairly small returns. There are far more sensible, long-term, safer (and cheaper) ways of losing fat, like following the other tips on this page. A healthy lifestyle, including a good diet and regular exercise, will slowly but surely take that fat off for good.
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