8 Fat Loss "Facts" We Should Leave Behind Us
A Fact - “a thing that is known or proved to be true.”
So, within a topic that is so individually interchangeable, how many “facts” genuinely exist?
Obviously, there are certain things we can be pretty sure will be good for us in the long run, but with the way
We’ve probably all been told before that we’re unique in our own special way..
None more so with regards to our approach to losing fat.
Sure, the fundamental “rules” will likely stay the same.
Calorie deficit this… calorie deficit that..
We’re not here to argue that at all.
What we are here to do however is to take a look at certain, *cough*, facts, that many of us might still feel influenced by when it comes to our decision making around fat loss, in the hope we can make things a little easier for you moving forward.
1. Carbohydrates Eaten After 6pm Get Stored As Fat
Makes a little bit of sense in theory.
Carbohydrates are an energy source. Eating them at a time that doesn’t require a lot of energy therefore might point towards the idea that the energy we’re consuming, would be stored and used elsewhere. In the form of body fat.
Not quite true.
When it comes to carbohydrates, for a lot of us, the situation revolves more around our choice of carbs, rather than the decision to include them.
Choosing naturally sourced complex carbs such as oats, rice, potatoes etc, will be less likely to cause you any issues, regardless of what time you eat them.
Simple processed carbs such as sweets, biscuits, cereals etc, are never going to be all that beneficial, regardless of whether you have them at 7am, or 7pm anyways. Spiking your blood sugars just before bed is certainly never going to be a good idea.
As we mentioned before, everybody is different. Some of us manage very well with a diet higher in these “good” carbs. Some of us might find we cope a bit better with a slightly lower consumption.
We’d recommend trying a few different methods and finding out for yourself.
However if you’re currently struggling to lose body fat, then chances are if it has anything to do with carbohydrates, it’s more than likely your choice of carb, and not the fact you’re having them after 6pm.
2. Vegan = Health
This one really has taken off in recent years. It seems like a solid idea too. A diet based around naturally sourced, plant based foods would suggest a host of health benefits to the one taking part.
However, this can often be misconstrued. There are plenty of vegan friendly foods that are far from “healthy”, especially when consumed in high amounts.
Pastas, crisps, “fake” meats etc. all may promote the idea of being healthy through being vegan, but like with anything, there still has to be a consideration around a couple of other things.
Such as the amounts you eat.
And, with removing animal products from your diet, there will more than likely have to be some considerations made around where you’re going to get your protein from, along with your intake of healthy fats.
Going vegan, or vegetarian for that matter, can prove to be a very healthy move in the long run, but only if done smartly.
3. Eating Fat Causes You To Gain Fat
Sorry to say, but this can actually be true. Fat CAN cause you to gain body fat.
So can chicken, potatoes, porridge oats, etc..
Over eating on anything will more than likely lead to fat gain if you don’t live the lifestyle to somewhat warrant it. (Even then, there’s only so much an active lifestyle can do!)
This was a theory popularised by cereal companies last century, in order to promote their own fat free, sugar filled products.
There are many scenarios where a higher fat diet can actually produce the fat loss results you want.
It has a ton of other amazing health benefits too, including but not limited too improving brain function and improving your bodies ability to transport and use vital nutrients to help us perform better.
The take home. Don’t be afraid of fats. There’s nothing to fear. There’s plenty of massively healthy options that would be considered “high fat” such as oily fish, nuts, seeds, avocados and more!
Fat loss or fat gain will come down to the amounts you consume, not the fact you’re eating fat.
4. Breakfast Is The Most Important Meal Of The Day
Breakfast is simply your first meal of the day. It’s in the name.
Breakfast = break the fast.
Whether that’s 6am or 12pm, the first meal is technically still your breakfast.
There’s no set rule that it has to be eaten before a certain time. There are many successful cases of people improving their health and physique through “skipping” breakfast until later on in the day.
As is the general theme, it’ll come down to the quality and quantity (both important for health as well as fat loss) throughout the duration of the entire day.
Should you choose to eat before leaving the house for work, then a healthy and naturally sourced breakfast won’t necessarily qualify you for fat loss either, but it can help.
Likewise, a sugar filled bowl of cereal with a side of fizzy cola won’t necessarily be the breaking point, but it will make things more challenging.
The take away here is that every meal becomes important when you’re trying to improve your health and drop unwanted body fat.
Breakfast may not be the MOST important meal, it simply is, like with the rest, just one important meal that will contribute to your efforts.
5. You’ll Lose More Fat When Training Fasted
If you opt to train fasted, then it should come down to personal preference, rather than feeling pressured from something that claims to be the “best way”.
There are obviously some methods of training where eating something might be encouraged beforehand, but on the whole, and especially if you’re an early riser, there’s no pressure to set your alarm an hour earlier to get up and make breakfast.
It’s true, you technically will burn more fat when glycogen (carbohydrates stored in your body), is low, but your body will more than likely shift back to glycogen later on in the day once you’ve eaten.
So it’ll all balance itself out in the end, and there’s no massive advantage to be gained.
Go with what works for you. Take into account the type of training you’re doing, how you feel during, and how you feel afterwards.
6. You Must Eat As Soon As Possible After Training
Ever heard of the infamous “window” after a hard training session?
Whilst it’s not the wisest thing to wait TOO long to consume something after a hard training session, there’s certainly no Countdown style clock ticking you down to rush off and eat something.
In fact, it can sometimes be smarter to wait a short while, allowing your body time and space to recover from the session and avoiding giving it something to digest while it’s still recovering from the stress that is intense physical activity.
Furthermore, if you’ve eaten something protein based in the hour or so beforehand, it won’t have had the time to be fully digested yet either, meaning your pre workout meal, almost becomes part of your post workout meal too.
So, you don’t have to feel any pressure to gulp down your post workout shake, or sprint back to the office to get your lunch out the fridge.
As long as you’re having something before or within 1-2 hours after, you’ll be fine!
7. Small & Frequent Meals Are Best For Fat Loss
They can be, but then can also not be..
Meaning, if eating smaller but more frequent meals allows you to manage calories effectively, then yeah, this will help you lose fat. Likewise, if eating fewer but larger meals helps you to do the same, then you’ll also lose fat.
The point being, all the various methods and protocols on dieting, simply serve the purpose of allowing you to control your calorie intake.
So, small and frequent meals isn’t necessarily the BEST method, it’s just one of many. The overall goal of maintaining some level of control of your daily calorie intake should never be overlooked, and will ultimately be the deciding factor.
8. Avoiding Carbs Is The Most Effective Way To Lose Fat
We touched on earlier the scapegoating of Fats when it comes to fat loss. Now it seems to be the time for Carbohydrates to step up to the plate and take their bashing.
If you’ve ever drastically cut carbs from your diet, you’ll more than likely have experienced a very eye pleasing drop on the scales a week or two into it.
This drop isn’t quite all body fat. In fact, most of it is simply just going to be water. Water that your muscles have been storing along with the glycogen (there’s that fancy word for stored Carbs again).
Once carbs are no longer consumed for a period of time, your muscles no longer need to store glycogen, or water.
Cutting out any food group so dramatically is, like we touched on before, one of many methods that will make it easier to fall into the calorie deficit needed for fat loss.
It’s nothing special. It’s still very possible to gain fat whilst avoiding carbs. Just like it’s very possible to lose it whilst eating them regularly.
Not all carbs are created equal either. Focussing on your choice of carb will more often than not help you towards your fat loss goals, without the extremity of severing all ties with them.
Sticking to mostly single ingredient carbs in their natural forms will always be more beneficial than simply cutting them out all together, as well as more sustainable too!