Feature: Healthy Lifestyles

Top Fitness Myths That Prevent Weight Loss

Author: John Phillip
Published: September 07, 2010 at 9:09 am
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Fitness myths are as common as old wives' tales, and can have a detrimental effect on how well you’re able to reach and maintain your weight loss goal.

Once we’ve heard the same mistruths time and again, we tend to accept them as correct, even though they may have a detrimental effect on health and weight reduction efforts.

While some of this advice is harmless, it’s always best to defer to relevant information presented by researchers who have studied the effects that physical fitness has on fat metabolism and your health.

25% of Americans Are Now Obese
The fact that one quarter of all Americans are now obese is a staggering number, with dire health consequences for the next decade and beyond. Information published in The New York Times indicates that nearly 2.5 million more people fell into the obese category in the past two years, making this the largest and quickest increase on record.

Lack of Physical Activity to Blame
Two of the most controllable elements which drive weight loss are diet and exercise. With the power of mind and attitude, we’re able to control the amount and type of foods we eat through thoughtful planning, and can limit couch potato time by making the trade-off for regular daily exercise.

The key to successful weight loss is combining proper diet with the right type of physical activity. You’ll be able to maximize the effectiveness of your workout and weight reduction plan by sorting through the most common fitness myths.

Myth 1: Running is Better Than Walking
The fact is that a runner and a walker covering the same distance will burn about the same number of calories. The important thing to keep in mind is that you get out and move your body. Weight reduction is not a race, and losing weight at a slow pace (no more than 1 to 2 pounds per week) is the best way to allow your body to easily adjust, preventing your metabolism from stalling in an attempt to preserve body mass.

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About this article

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Article Author: John Phillip

John Phillip is a Diet, Health and Nutrition Researcher/Writer reporting on the cutting edge use of lifestyle modifications to enhance and improve the length and quality of life. John is the author of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan', a Free E-Book available for download from his blog. …

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