Weight Loss Trends That Are Making You Fat

• Save

Once upon a time, not so long ago, we lived in a world where fake news was not a problem because a) we relied on encyclopedias for information, not an unmonitored web of internet contributors and b) we had no real way of checking facts, which meant we were all blissfully unaware of our ignorance, smiling along as placebos ruled the roost.

These days, though, wow, you can pretty much find any information you want to align with your own beliefs. This may be great when you want to win a sibling argument, but it is pretty darn detrimental when it comes to losing weight.

There you are happily indulging in liquid-only detoxes and grimacing as you slurp up your seventeenth cabbage soup dinner in a row, truly believing that you’ve found all the answers you need to get a flat belly and stay slim forever. The problem is, these kind of too-good-to-be-true weight loss attempts are a waste of time at best and health-wrecking at worst.

So, in order to play martyr and be remembered as wonderful people for the rest of history, we have done the most amazing thing we possibly could: we have gone through all the weight loss trends and fads and pulled out the ones we believe to be the very worst of the worst. Don’t worry about thanking us, just leave a little donation in your will instead.

• Save

No Good Can Come From A Juice Cleanse

Juice-only cleansing diet thingys are all the rage right now. In fact, if you don’t have a nutribullet and a juice recipe book then who even are you. The problem is, they will only make you feel lighter. You see, they have pretty much zero protein content, which is bad because you’ll just end up losing water weight and muscle mass… not fat. That’s problem number one. Problem number two is, once you go back to solid foods – which you will – you’ll just end up piling on the pounds again. Yeah, there is zero longevity with this one.

You Have Got To Stop Skipping Meals

Skipping breakfast is the absolute worst (we’re talking Donald Trump levels of worst), but skipping lunch or dinner is a no-go too. Sure, it is a pretty easy way to cut down on the amount of calories you chow through, but it is also going to backfire when it comes to losing weight. This is because your body will have to go longer between nutritional meals, meaning it will store more fat reserves than necessary, reducing your metabolism. Not only that, but by only eating one meal a day, you will end up gorging on your food, which is a great way to pack on a paunch.

Give Up On The Whole Gluten-Free Thing Will You

It’s amazing how a few celebrities can say something and the whole world seems to bow down to them, even though there is absolutely zero scientific evidence that going gluten-free will help you get lean. Actually, by going gluten-free – especially with packaged foods – you may well find you become the opposite of lean because the manufacturers need to try and make up for the lost taste, which they do by adding more salt, sugar and fat. What we’re saying is, those gluten-free foods are going to win a game of Calorie Content Top Trumps. So, instead of jumping on yet another unreliable trend, just try swapping out your white carbs for things like quinoa, beans, fruit and veg. Trust us, spiralized zucchini tastes way better than spaghetti anyway.

• Save

Don’t Fall For The Ice Cold Water Trick

We’re not saying there is anything wrong with drinking iced cold water, in fact quite the opposite. And if you prefer to room temperature water then why not indulge yourself a little. However, if you are simply adding half a glass of ice cubes to lose weight because you heard that your body has to work harder in order to bring iced water to body temperature then you need to give up now. Yes, the science is true and yes you will lose weight through this cycle, but it will only be around eight calories max. that you lose, which is like the weight loss version of rearranging the furniture on the Titanic. By all means drink lots of water because it is good for you, but don’t get your hopes up on the weight loss front because the impacts are so, well, minuscule.

Going From Coke To Diet Coke Is Pointless

The same goes for any soda for that matter. In theory, it should make a difference because you are going from a super-sugary and high-calorie soda to a diet version, but the diet one has a plethora of other health implications that may make your weight loss attempts futile. But sticking with the weight loss thing, those that enjoy a tipple of the diet stuff – which is packed full of artificial sweeteners – gained a lot more weight and belly fat than those who just gave up soda altogether. We don’t like the stuff here anyway, but we would strongly recommend you start cutting down on the amount of pop you drink with the long-term goal of giving it up outright. It’s the thing holding you back from your flat belly dreams.

• Save

Working Out On An Empty Stomach

We’ve heard numerous people say they work out with nothing more than a cup of black coffee in their system, which they do because apparently your body is prompted to burn more fat when you’re hungry. We’re not sure where they heard that but it is categorically false. The food you eat is the fuel in which your body runs off. It is like going on a road trip without putting any fuel in your car; it doesn’t make any sense. Basically, if you don’t fuel up before a gym session, then you will probably lose muscle mass, which is not ideal if you are hoping to burn off some calories. Just remember, muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue does.