There is a big problem in the fitness industry today with all the fitness & nutrition myths, fooling men and woman into being confused and frustrated in their journey to a healthier lifestyle or to build a Aesthetic Physique. All it takes is a small myth or misinformation to throw you off your track and make your life harder. Thankfully, I have something that will put an end to all of this.
Myth #1 – You need to eat 6-8 meals a day!
This is one of the most over exaggerated myth in Bodybuilding and has been around for a long time in the fitness industry and yet, a lot of people are still delusional of whether this is true or false. We always hear that consuming 6-8 meals a day will maximize muscle growth and fat loss, however, there has been no scientific evidence to back this statement up. A study found that after consuming a balanced meal rich in protein, carbohydrate, and fats showed that the duration of protein synthesis (the way you synthesize new muscle) lasted approximately 3 hours long. This shows that the duration of a complete and balanced meal prolongs the duration of protein synthesis.
Another study has shown that the duration of protein synthesis in response to a mixture of amino acids was only 2 hours long even though the essential amino acids were saturated for six hours. This is why it’s not a good idea to eat every 2-3 hours because you have amino acids that are still elevated throughout your body and it doesn’t make sense to eat another meal and try to promote a rise in protein synthesis again.
Myth #2 – Don’t eat before you sleep! You’ll get fat!
Again, another over exaggerated myth and this myth probably came from people who got fat eating too much food during the day rather than during the night. You see, meal timing does not matter at all and although it is true that your metabolism rate slows down when you’re asleep, it is all about energy balance (Calories in vs. Calories out) and eating 500 calories at 12 at night is the same as eating at 12 in the afternoon. Neither is any more likely to be stored as fat. However you should never eat big calorie foods such as ice cream or cake before bed as your metabolism slows down when you’re asleep and excess calories may lead to unwanted fat gains.
Myth #3 – Fat is unhealthy and bad for you!
This is like saying that if you avoid eating fatty foods, you will not get fat which is completely wrong! Some people tend to think that just because its fats, once you eat it, it will become body fat which makes absolutely no sense at all. When it comes to weight loss or weight gain, it is all about Calories in vs. Calories out (Energy Balance). Not all fats are bad for you, in fact, some fats are necessary for good health and your organs to function properly. They’re known as essential fatty acids (EPA’s) and research has shown that they can help with diabetics, blood pressure and other diseases. Healthy fat foods such as Avocados, Walnuts and Olive oil have it’s benefits.
Myth #4 – Eating clean is important to maximize fat loss!
What does eating clean means? No junk foods? No fatty foods? Let’s debunk this myth once and for all, A 500 calorie burger is the same as a 500 calorie sandwich, while the sandwich may be healthier for you in the long run, it has nothing to do with fat loss. Your body can’t differentiate a burger from a sandwich and will just absorb them and convert them into energy just like every other food sources. Again, the key here is “Energy Balance”, burning more calories than you maintain will lead to fat / weight loss, not the type of food you eat.
Myth #5 – Carbohydrates make you fat!
This is completely false, it is not about how many carbohydrates you eat that makes you fat but rather the amount of calories you eat in excess. Eating too much calories leads to fat gain, it’s as simple as that, it doesn’t matter if you eat 500 grams of protein or 500 grams of carbohydrates, if you’re eating at a calorie surplus, you will put on weight and whether you put on muscle mass or fat mass, that depends solely on your training and the amount of calories you consume.
Conclusion
Now that I have debunk the top 5 common fat loss myths, you should be able to have a sigh of relief that you do not have to eat 6-8 meals a day any more and waste your money and time, packing 5-6 food packages to bring to work or school. Next time when someone tells you something about fitness training or nutrition, make sure that there is some science or a study behind the claims they make so that you know they’re telling the truth and not just spurring out false information. Everyone can say whatever they want but it all comes down to whether if it’s scientifically proven or not, Science don’t lie.
One exemple, if i eat 1 ice cream (500g), is almost 1.500 calories
i can eat 3,500 calories
But the fat of the ice cream, is a lot more bad than the other right?
some days ago i was eating 900g of ice cream per day and not gaining any fat
I find it disturbing how you choose to debunk Myth #4.
It’s not difficult to understand the principles of ‘dirty’ and ‘clean’ eating with it’s effects on our body. Yes, eating a burger or a sandwich might not directly affect the weight loss amount/process. However, having trans fatty burgers will DEFINITELY not yield you the health you get from having healthy sandwich meals.
The whole trans fat issue in the burger is already a case study by itself. I don’t see how a burger swallowing dude can get his fat belly reduced any faster than a sandwich eating fellow. In fact, your whole article can be written in ONE line “Weight Lose = Calories In < Basal Metabolic Rate". You ignore all other health issues just for this line.
Hello,
Yes of course, hence why I said “while the sandwich may be healthier for you in the long run, it has nothing to do with fat loss.” under Myth #4.
I’m simply pointing out the fact that eating “clean”, will NOT maximize fat loss. Your body does NOT view your nutrient intake within the context of individual food items. As long as your overall macronutrient totals (protein, carbohydrates and fats) as well as your micronutrient needs (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants etc.) are being met for the day, it doesn’t matter which specific foods you consume in order to meet those totals.
The truth is that bodybuilding nutrition is really just a numbers game and as I stated earlier, the body does not view your nutrient intake within the context of individual food items. There is no such thing as a food that is inherently “good” or “bad”; there is only a complete, overall diet that is “good” or “bad”.
The “junk foods” still contain perfectly usable protein, carbohydrates, fats and even vitamins/minerals. It’s not that eating “junk foods” is bad; it’s that eating too many of them is usually bad.