True or False: Skipping a meal helps you lose weight

Have you ever heard this? Girl, I’m going to skip breakfast and lunch, so I can drop a few pounds before the party tonight, then when I get there, get my grub on. Now, tell me do you really think that will work? FALSE, as a matter of fact you are doing more harm than good to your body. Skipping meals puts your body in starvation mode. It will hold on to everything you have stored, because it thinks this could be it’s last meal. Your brain turns to mush and you can’t focus, plus you get hangry. Yeah, you heard me, hangry is real (hungry and anger). You know as well as I do that you are most definitely going to that party and going overboard on the eating. Trust me I know. When your blood sugar drops, you are just not yourself. You lash out and become very mean. Beyond being mean, you self-sabotage by over-eating when you finally get your hands on food. Binge eating happens and then you end up GAINING weight, which was your reason for skipping meals in the first place, was to lose weight. So don’t skip meals, eat sensibly, without having heavy meals but put something in your body so you can function. You must feed your body in order to lose weight, I know it sounds crazy, but it is true.

True or False: Your genetics determine your weight

Come on guys say it with me ”Everybody in my family is big boned!” Hmm, have you ever seen a big-boned skeleton? I haven’t but, I have tried to use this one myself! But it is false! Your genetics make up 70% of your size, 10% diet and 10% fitness. We, as a family tend to be about the same size because we eat the same way. We generally have the same eating habits. Let’s break the cycle. It really isn’t as hard as you think. Something you can do today to make a change, eat one healthy meal today, go ahead make your next meal balanced, appropriate portions and full of leafy vegetables.

True or False: Eating after 8pm makes you gain weight?

Here is another one we have all heard “I don’t eat after 8pm, I don’t want to gain weight.” This is so FALSE. Unless you go to bed at 8 you should still give your body fuel. If you are awake your body is still functioning. You should eat every 3 to 4 hours no matter the time. I am not saying eat a big mac and fries late at night but eat something like nuts, fruit, and even popcorn. You want something light and satisfying so that your metabolism keeps working. The only time you don’t eat is when you are asleep, hence breakfast! You wake up and eat, breaking that fast! You have to eat to lose weight (remember myth #2, no starving the body).

True or False: Going vegetarian to lose weight

I think I am so, over this, let me repeat so OVER people doing this! It is FALSE you are not going to lose weight just because you are going vegetarian. Elephants are vegetarian and they are not skinny. However, the lions are meat eaters and they are lean, fast and powerful. Just because you are given up meat doesn’t mean that your food doesn’t have calories. It is true if you stop eating meat and are eating plant based food, eating more fruits and vegetables, which tend to be less calories and really filling, you can lose weight. But if your idea of being a vegetarian is eating larger portions of high calories food like French fries, creamy pasty and of course that wonderful veggie pizza then you are most likely going to gain weight. The key is to eat a balanced meal, proper portions even with meat! Me myself I love being a Lioness!

True or False: Eating all you want because I exercise

I saved the best for last! Because this was surely me! It is False. I was that chick who was at the gym every morning at 5:30am when they opened, did my cardio, hit the weights and ate EVERYTHING I wanted. Oh yeah, I was a size 24. I would totally tell myself, I can eat this, I work out! Well so not true! Losing weight is very simple, it’s all about the numbers, calories in vs. calories out! Math is not my favorite subject but hey, I figured it out. In order to lose weight, I had to burn more calories than I consume, simple!