Don’t Believe the Lies

Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth.

That bit of wisdom came from Franklin D. Roosevelt during a radio address in 1939, and though he wasn't talking about fitness, it certainly applies to the following fat loss myths.

Myth #1: Eating Late at Night Makes You Fat

The Facts: Your body doesn't have an internal timer that causes late night eats to be stored directly as fat. Weight gain happens when you eat too much and exercise too little - you could eat too much in the morning, the afternoon, or late at night and it would all result in weight gain.

Your Solution: Consider how many calories you eat and burn each day, rather than when you eat.

Myth #2: Snacking Promotes Weight Gain

The Facts: Eating snacks throughout the day is actually a great way to keep your metabolism up and to avoid overeating at meals. However, if you snack on junk food then be prepared to pack on pounds.

Your Solution: When it comes to snacking it's all about what you snack on.

Myth #3: You Can Lose Fat Without Exercise

The Facts: Exercise and healthy eating go hand-in-hand when it comes to permanent fat loss. Your body needs exercise just as it needs to be fed a diet filled with fresh produce, whole grains and lean protein.

Your Solution: Accept exercise as a part of your daily lifestyle.

Myth #4: Fat Free Means 'All-You-Can-Eat'

The Facts: It's time to close your eyes and mentally erase everything that the 90's taught about fat-free dieting. Fat-free foods are not the equivalent of flavored air – they contain plenty of calories and often lots of sugar.

Your Solution: Be mindful of calories when eating fat-free foods.

Myth #5: Eat as Little as Possible for Maximum Fat Loss

The Facts: Eating too little causes your metabolism to shut down and puts your body into starvation mode, and prone to store fat rather than burn it.

Your Solution: When it comes to fat loss think burn rather than starve.


Myth #6: Diet Pills Work for Fat Loss

The Facts: The only thing that diet pills are capable of burning is the extra cash in your wallet. Billions of diet pills are sold every year – all to no avail.

Your Solution: Healthy eating and exercise can never be replaced by a pill.

Myth #7: You Should Never Eat Fast Food

The Facts: It's all about what you order. Fried, processed and salty foods will cause weight gain - don't order them. Lean meat, salad, vegetables and beans, on the other hand, are available at many fast food chains - order these instead.

Your Solution: When eating fast food skip the fried items, stick with lean meats and salads.

Trying to lose weight is often a frustrating experience. In a world filled with quick fixes, lasting weight loss is not something that happens overnight. Remember that it took time to gain the weight, so it will also take some time to lose it.

Permanent weight loss happens as a result of a proper exercise and diet plan - my expertise.

DARRYL: THE MEDICAL STUDENT WHO HEALED HIMSELF

When he first came to me, Darryl was a medical student suffering from acne, poor diet, lack of exercise and overweight. In addition, he felt constantly fatigued from his stressful life of studies, erratic sleep habits, exams and more studies. Although he was one of the most hyper-scheduled people I’d ever met, let alone trained, Darryl managed to carve out the time to reorganize his life, to work out, eat right and meditate for a few moments each day. The resulting evolution of his spirit, mind and body brought him radiant health, muscle gains and lasting weight loss.

Although all of my clients inspire me, Darryl was a special case because he managed to do such a good job despite severe scheduling constraints. Darryl is now a practicing physician who embodies radiant health for his patients; his case proves that even the most multi-tasking person can exercise their way to excellent condition in less than an hour or so a day. (Lack of time is one of the most common excuses people give me for not working out. I always tell them that if clients like Darryl can find the time to get in shape, then they can, too.)


Darryl used his powerful intellect to psych himself into total health. Here are some affirmations from Darryl’s mental diet:

“I will never give up because I am climbing the mountain of happiness.”
“I have the ability to love and support myself.”
“I am improving my inner world in order to change my outer world.”
“I am moving closer towards spiritual, mental and physical health.”
“I am stronger than my fears because I acknowledge them.”
“I am a well-rounded beautiful being.”
“I draw my energy from the Universal life force.”
“Life is a miracle and I am lucky to be living it.”

If you are or know of someone who's overweight, overstressed and overworked please share the story with me on this blog.