The Truth behind Weight Loss Theories

With the world becoming increasingly health conscious and appearance conscious, weight loss tools have mushroomed everywhere. However much a person may or may not succeed with a fast weight loss plan, the myths surrounding weight loss programs have to be busted.

Iced water is sometimes touted as an ideal ingredient of a weight loss diet. Of course, it is harmless in that it has no calories, but surely it is no calorie burner. The advocates of the idea promulgate its inclusion in a weight loss diet, the way they champion ice cream as well. The theory does not have much basis, even though compared to fruit juice or soda, water, whether it is hot or cold, is definitely a low calorie food.

Another myth is that stronger muscles might be able to burn up an additional 50 calories. Human body does continuously consume energy, even if it is in a resting pose, but better muscles are unlikely to contribute to it. So muscles in themselves may not have any catalytic function under a weight loss program.

The presence of muscles may not affect a weight loss program directly, but building up of muscles might. Muscle building is no easy task. It requires some tough exercises like weight lifting, calisthenics like push-ups and pull-ups, compound exercises or full body workouts. So, muscle building would definitely burn up a lot of calories and so is strongly recommended as a part of a weight loss program.

Strenuous exercises can be an ideal part of a weight loss program. Exercises increase the body metabolic rate. A body that is exercising uses up an average of more than 250 calories, than a body that is at rest. A one hour vigorous exercises have the ability to use up about 350 calories. Even those, who do not have the time or inclination for vigorous workouts, can ideally opt for less strenuous exercises like brisk walks, or light yoga postures.

What any weight loss program should in effect do is use more calories than is consumed. If we had forever consumed only as many calories that the body required, we would never have put on weight. It is when we consume more calories than the body needs that the extra calories get deposited as stubborn fat reserves in our bodies. A correct weight loss program, which is a combination of diet and exercises, aims at lesser calorie intake and greater using up of calories, thereby using up the fat reserves as well for daily requirements.