OMG! I had no idea that so many false beliefs about health and weight loss are still floating around out there…not just with the general public but within the health practioner community as well!
I really try to keep an open mind about science and new modalities. I have a degree in biology and have kept my accredited personal trainer and health coach certifications up to date for decades, which requires me to get continuing education.
I have gotten certified in other modalities because I’m open to being a lifelong learner…
AND so, it floors me to see old, old, old stuff circulating not just among the uneducated but coming from people with medical and nutrition degrees or certifications. It’s so irresponsible.
If you look closely at the mis-information, there is a product or program being sold alongside the spreading of these myths. I get it! Everyone, including me, is looking for a quick fix for almost everything in our lives and weight loss or changing the way our body looks is probably the top category for “worst offenders”.
What’s astonishing is that despite all this interest, all these programs and products, overweight and obesity are still on the rise in most modern countries and with these conditions come all sorts of disease and early mortality.
Just look around at ads and what you see on social media that really gains traction:
“Lose weight without exercising and eating anything you want!”
“Have the body of your dreams in 30 days!”
“Melt body fat while you sleep!”
One of the latest is “turn your fat into muscle!”.
Guys…this is like saying you can turn your kidney into a liver!
Fat is fat and muscle is muscle.
Now…a little education and clarification.
It is true that muscle burns more calories than fat so building muscle can help to speed your metabolism, help you burn more calories during the day and some of them will come from our fat stores. All true.
What is NOT true is that there is some kind of magical transformation where our body fat turns into muscle by using some pill or elixir. NOT TRUE!
That’s not to say there aren’t some “bio-hacks” out there that can help us on our journey to health and body transformation but seeing the research is what separates the “posers” from the facts.
I love Dr. Michael Greger’s book “How to Not Diet” (a follow up to his book “How to Not Die”). He outlines multiple bio-hacks that have been shown, through RESEARCH, to speed up weight loss and he also dispels many myths. He even has a free app called “Daily Dozen” that lets you track some of the science proven methods of helping your body on your path to weight loss.
One thing that I love, since our business is all about helping people to eat more plants, is that almost ALL his suggestions involve plants!
He also has 21 “tweaks” that you can use that are actually scientifically proven to give us a leg up on our weight loss journey.
I will write more about Dr. Greger’s suggestions in another post but in the meantime, folks, be smart! What we eat DOES affect our weight, body fat doesn’t magically “melt and we certainly can’t turn fat into muscle.
Stay (smart) and healthy, my friends.
