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Demystifying FAT

Blast those notions about fat, diet and weight loss that are eating you up

PHOTO: K.R. DEEPAK

FIGHTING FIT Exercise and right kind of diet will make a healthy you

Obesity is a huge new age problem. Fitness, dieting, weight reduction, food, facts are all blurred in the need for immediate results in solving this problem. There are many myths regarding obesity. Here are some hard facts.

Myth: You burn more fat if you exercise on an empty stomach.

Fact: Exercising on an empty stomach does not affect how you lose weight. In fact, it may hinder it if you don't have the energy to exercise. You should drink at least a glass of juice prior to your workout if you're exercising in the morning. A hour's gap or half an hour in the least is recommended after food intake and before exercise.

Myth: You shouldn't start weight training until you've lost most of the weight you want to lose because it will slow down your fat loss, trap your fat in the muscle.

Fact: Weight training is vital to a weight loss program because it turns up the metabolism that burns calories and it tones your muscles. You should start weight training from the beginning.

Myth: Weight training with free weights is much more effective than with machines.

Fact: For the purposes of general fitness, muscle toning and weight loss, it doesn't matter. Do what you are most comfortable with for that's what you are most likely to do on a regular basis.

Myth: Exercising for 30 minutes two to three times a week is sufficient for weight loss.

Fact: That's better than doing nothing but it's not optimal. Daily exercise leaves you healthier, leaner, and more energetic. It boosts your metabolism like nothing else can.

Half an hour to an hour of daily aerobic exercise and three days of weight training every week is recommended.

Myth: You can't lose weight no matter what ever is done.

Fact: You can lose weight but it usually happens much slower than you'd like it to. Realise that if you are consistently doing the right things, it will happen. Don't get sidetracked by every new crazy diet or exercise. Keep to daily exercise and healthy eating habits and weight loss can be achieved.

Myth: Some fancy exercise machines will burn more calories than natural exercise.

Fact: One thing that many people seem to be confused about is how many calories are expended during different types of exercise. The caloric expenditure is directly related to the amount of effort an activity requires. In general, the more difficult it feels, the more calories you burn. The easier it feels the fewer calories you burn. That's it! It doesn't matter how fancy or expensive the equipment is, the harder you work the more calories you burn.

Myth: You should always do your weight training just before your aerobic exercise session because you burn more fat that way.

Fact: The order in which you exercise does not affect how you lose weight. Weight training after aerobic exercise (such as walking) is recommended. This is simply because the muscles are warm and supple and less prone to injuries.

Myth: You'll burn equal calories jogging or walking for an hour.

Fact: Caloric expenditure is 1.2 calories per hour per pound body weight on walking at the speed of 2 miles per hour, where as in jogging at the speed of 5 miles per hour you burn 3.7 calorie per hour per pound body weight.

Myth: Skipping a meal is a good way to lose weight.

Fact: One usually eats more at other meals when a meal is skipped. Equal division of calories throughout the day causes less hunger pangs and is more effective to lose weight.

Myth: You can lose fat from a specific part of your body by doing an exercise for that part of your body. For example, abdominal crunches will remove fat from your abdominal area.

Fact: You can't spot reduce! You cannot control the part of your body from which fat is removed. But you can tone up the muscles giving shape to the part.

MUMTAZ KHALID ISMAIL

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