NO SHORTCUTS TO FAT LOSS

Wanting faster weight loss results and not willing to work for it makes one take short cuts. Most often short cuts are short lived. How often are you tempted by slimming coffees, fat burning belts, instant weight reduction plans… with no real and reliable information on what actually occurs, the associated risks and the inevitable return to where you started out from or even worse a few additional kilos. Below I am discussing a few most common used methods in the pursuit of quick fat fixes, please take a moment to think about it. I know it’s not easy for most of us to commit to exercise and healthier lifestyle. After all it took years of poor conditioning to get here. But the truth is an active and healthy lifestyle is the only answer to your predicament. There are no shortcuts. It’s best to start where you are today with proper information and guidance. Dieting: It comes from the root word diaeta (latin) which means a ‘prescribed way of life’ a life arranged in discipline, consciousness and balance. However people have falsely perceived this truth and practice dieting by depriving themselves of food. We consume food to fuel, nourish and nurture us. Extreme deprivation creates massive energy deficit and a huge drop in your metabolism to conserve energy. This state is also known as famine state. Your body will conserve fat and burn muscles to meet energy demand. Losing muscles is one of the unhealthiest thing that can happen to you. Losing muscle tone adversely affects your aesthetics and is also counterproductive to fat loss. Fat burners: There have not been enough studies done on the benefits and adverse effects of these products. The product manufacturers don’t hold responsibility and are not liable for any health risks. Most people are just taking these products on personal referrals, hearsay or unreliable and misleading guidance and advertisements. Fat burners mainly contain chemicals such as thermogenics, hunger suppressants, fat blockers, metabolism accelerator. These chemicals may have some effect in your pursuit of fat loss. But you are also meddling with the basic biological process of the body which can have serious repercussion on your health. The negative side effects are anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, hypertension, increased heart rate, mental imbalance etc. Also note that this method doesn’t work in itself. You still have to apply nutritional and exercise principals. Heat belts: The gadget claims to burn fat on the place of application. The heat emitting device causes the applied areas to sweat. And it may appear like you have lost some size. However the short term result would be caused by water loss which will be restored before you know it. What needs to be clearly understood is that fat cells don’t melt with warmth, heat and sweating. Sweating is just a cooling mechanism of the body. Ab equipment: These equipment claim to build a six pack and flat midsection. Ab exercises will strengthen and create hypertrophy (increase in muscle fibre size) in your muscles but not burn fat. Fat and muscles are like wood and metal and one cannot convert into the other. It’s biologically impossible because fat and muscle are two completely different tissues with different properties and function. And another fact is that there is no such thing as spot reduction of fat.

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Sandesh Palungwa Limbu, Certified professional fitness instructor, founder of RAGE Fitness, and specialises in mixed martial arts.