The 7 Biggest Myths of the Weight Loss Industry

Here are, what I consider, the seven biggest myths of the weight loss industry.  I also think, these myths are part to blame for the fact that we are losing the weight loss battle in America today.  These 7 myths sabotage countless peoples efforts to lose weight, and at the same time they are making the weight loss industry millions of dollars.  I have a favor to ask from all the people who read this report.  Please spread the word about these myths.  If anyone has any questions about these myths please don’t hesitate to email me at stavros@stavrosm.com

Thank you
Stavros Mastrogiannis

Myth #1: You can Spot Reduce. (You can lose fat in any area of your body by simply exercising the muscles in that area of the body.) 
Sorry, but spot reduction is a myth.  A matter of fact, it is one of the biggest myths that many “fitness experts” are helping spread.  Many people and companies in the weight loss industry would hate me for revealing to the public one of the biggest lies in the weight loss industry.  The sales of a lot of fitness equipment are based on the promise of spot reduction and that is one thing they don’t want you to know.  How many times have you seen the commercials and infomercials on TV that advertise specially designed abdominal toning equipment that guarantee you will get washboard abs? There are hundreds of exercise videos on the market today, designed to tone and shape “problem areas” on your body.  Many health clubs have fallen into the trap too, and have added “ab, butt and thigh” toning classes which have become very popular.  All these classes and exercise machines claim that exercising the muscle beneath the fat in the “problem areas” will help you lose that fat.  To be able to spot reduce sounds great and it is easy to sell, especially to people that don’t know any better.  Many companies and fitness experts take advantage of the ignorance and the desperation of people to tone problem areas, and sell them equipment and exercise programs that will not fulfill their promise.

Don’t fall victim to this. All you can do is create the environment where your body can lose weight, and genetics will determine from where you are going to lose fat.  You have absolutely no control of where the fat will come off from.  Here are two studies that basically prove that spot reduction is not possible.  These studies where taken from the Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant Manual of American Consul on Exercise.

One classic study examined the muscle and fat mass in the right and left arms of high-caliber tennis players before the two-handed backhand became so popular.  At that time, the diameter and muscle mass of the dominant playing arm in professional tennis players was much greater than the non-dominant playing arm.  If spot reduction truly worked, we would expect to see less fat storage in the dominant playing arm.  However, no differences were found in the sum of multiple skinfold measures of either forearm.  Thus, sustained exercise in the playing arm did not result in reduction of fat storage over the exercised muscle (Gwinup et al., 1971).

Another study done by Katch and colleagues (1984) examined the effects of a vigorous sit-up exercise program on adipose (fat cell) cell size and adiposity.  They had subjects perform more than 5,000 sit-ups over a period of 28 days.  Skin fold thickness, body composition and circumference measures were taken before and after the exercise program.  They also took fat biopsies from the abdominal, buttocks and sub scapular regions to assess the number and size of the cells in each area at baseline, and after the vigorous training program.  The extensive sit-up routine resulted in no changes in skin fold thickness, body composition or circumference.  Interestingly, the fat biopsy data did not find any selective differences in the preferential use or reduction in fat cell size or number in the abdominal region compared to the subscapular or buttocks regions.  Basically what this means in plain English, after all those sit-ups there was no fat lose in the midsection.

So, you see, it is not my opinion that spot reduction is not possible; it is a fact.  Just in case you are still not convinced that spot reduction is not possible, I will give you one more example to prove it to you.  As you know, everybody has a dominant and non-dominant side.  Especially for arms, the dominant arm does a lot more work than the non-dominant arm.  If spot reduction was possible, the dominant arms should have less fat on it then the other arm.  In many cases the dominant arm might have more muscle, but the fat is always the same on both arms.  It is a good thing that spot reduction is not possible, because then most people would end up with a fat side and a lean side.  The question many people raise after they learn that spot reduction is not possible is “How can those ab machines you see on the infomercials guarantee you will lose one to two inches in the first two weeks if spot reduction is not possible?”  The answer is very simple.  When you don’t do any form of midsection exercise, the midsection muscles, like the rectus abdominus muscles, are relaxed and the organs push them slightly outwards.  As soon as you do any form of crunches, the first thing that happens is your midsection muscles pull in a straight line, so they are no longer pushed outwards by the internal organs.  Just by the midsection muscles tightening up and pulling in at a straight line, most people will lose one to two inches off their waistline.  That is how those ab machine infomercials can promise that you will lose one to two inches off your waist in the first one to two weeks.  The problem is, although they don’t say it, they make you think that you lost fat off of your waist, but in reality, all you did was pull your ab muscles in a straight line.  What they don’t want you to know is that any decent midsection exercise will do that for you; you don’t need to spend money to buy their ab machine.  Like the study proved, you will not lose fat off your waist by doing midsection exercises.  To get in shape and lose body fat, you need to incorporate the 4 keys to weight loss, which are:  some form of resistance training, some form of aerobics, proper nutrition and being consistent. 

Myth #2: A high protein diet like is a healthy way to lose weight.
The Atkins diet and other high protein diets have gained a lot of popularity in the recent years.  “New Diet Revolution” by Dr. Atkins has been a bestseller for several years.  The main reason these kinds of diets gain so much popularity in such a short time is because they offer the public what they want: quick results. And the best part: eating the foods most people love, like steaks, eggs and bacon.  We have become a “NOW” society; we want fast results with minimum effort.  The high-protein diets deliver exactly what the consumer wants, because to eat the way they are suggesting is really easy, and the food industry made it even easier by offering the public Atkins-approved foods.    People were so happy that they were losing weight that they never stopped and ask what the long term health consequences of this type of diet may be.  Well, let’s take a good look at the future consequences of this type of diet.

I have been in the fitness industry since 1992, I have known countless people who have tried high protein diets, and although most of them did lose weight, I do not know even one that was able to keep the weight off long term.  Actually, I use to be a supporter of high protein diets, until my own research helped me realize that a high protein low-carb diet was definitely not the way to lose weight if you want to keep it off long term - and be healthy.  I assume you want to keep the weight off once you lose it, and I also assume you want to get healthier in the process.  If my assumptions are correct, I suggest not doing a high-protein diet.

Here are some facts you should know about Atkins and other high-protein low-carb diets, besides the fact that you will gain all the weight back. During the first few weeks on a high-protein, low-carb diet, most people lose a lot of weight.  You need to realize a lot of that weight lost during this period is water.  Due to the fact that your carb intake is so low, your body will be burning mostly fat.  The problem with your body burning fat without any carbohydrates is that your body does not burn the fat completely, and ketones are formed and released into your bloodstream.  This condition is called ketosis, which you might have heard of.  Ketosis makes dieting easier because it often depresses appetite and may cause nausea, which many of the people I know who have done a high protein diet have felt.  Another problem with staying on a high protein diet long term is the increase of many risks like the following:

-Ketosis will increase blood levels of uric acid.  Uric acid is a risk factor for gout and kidney stones in susceptible people.

-Ketosis also could damage LDL (Bad Cholesterol), making it more likely to stick to artery walls thus increasing the risk of a heart attack.

-Eliminating fruits and most vegetables from your diet is a great way to miss essential vitamins, minerals, fiber and other micronutrients your body needs for proper functioning.

Atkins supporters may argue that Atkins recommends taking supplements to make up for the diets deficiencies.  The problem is there is no way you can make up with pills what you are missing by not eating fruits and vegetables.  There are a whole array of protective phytochemicals found only in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, many of which we haven’t even identified yet, and if we have not identified them, how can we put them in a pill?  The bottom line is, the only way you can make sure you are getting all the nutrients your body needs is by eating a verity of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and no amounts of supplement will make up for not eating them.

Myth #3: Feeling the burn is a great indicator that you are burning fat.
This is unfortunately a myth, also.  I have heard a lot of fitness professionals say to their class, “Feel the burn!  Feel the fat melting away!” Well, I am sure most fitness professional know that the burn you feel sometimes when you weight train has nothing to do with burning fat. Making statements like that one, without clarifying that feeling the burn has nothing to do with burning fat, causes many people start associating the burning with actually melting fat away, which is not correct.  Many of the people that I have worked with had been under the impression that they must feel the burn for the workout to be effective.  So let’s clarify what the burn is.  

The burn, according to the latest research I have read, is lactic acid building up in the muscle and irritating the nerve endings; that is all.  As a matter of fact, if you’re feeling the burn while doing aerobics, it means that the intensity you are working out at has exceeded your body’s ability to deliver oxygen to the working muscles, so the muscles had to go to an anaerobic energy system to supply the energy the muscles need to perform its work.  The problem with the anaerobic system of creating energy is that it has a byproduct called lactic acid.  As lactic acid accumulates in the muscle, the muscle begins to lose it’s ability to contract and you start feeling the burn, and eventually, you have to stop.  As you get more fit, your body’s ability to deliver oxygen to the muscle improves, so you are able to work at higher intensities without the workout becoming anaerobic.  If you feel the burn during aerobics, you need to slow down and lower the intensity.   This advice, by the way, is for people who are doing aerobics to lose weight.  If you are training for sports, then that is a completely different story, which we are not going to get into right now.

One more thing I would like to say about the burn:  I have seen many trainers and fitness experts on TV and in local gyms having people do isometrics (contracting a muscle but without moving it, or holding a position).  When you do isometrics, you will feel the burn much faster than if you were moving.  The reason you feel the burn faster is due to the fact that since the muscle is not moving, there is no blood pumping through the muscle to slow down the accumulation of lactic acid.  The lactic acid builds up much faster, so you feel the burn much faster.  Again, feeling the burn has nothing to do with the effectiveness of the workout, or that you are burning fat in the area, as many trainers would like you to believe.

Myth #4: Cellulite
People and companies who are selling products and services that supposedly will help you get rid of cellulite are making millions.  First of all, what is cellulite?  Technically there is no such thing.  Cellulite is just fat under the skin.  There is nothing special about that fat.  Women are more likely to have cellulite than men, due to the fact that women’s skin is thinner, plus they have a less even fat distribution under the skin.  When fat cells increase in size and in number, the accumulation stretches the connective tissue and the fat bulges, especially in the hip and thigh area, where most women gain most of their weight.  This gives the overlying skin a waffled appearance, which is now referred to as cellulite.  Even thin women can have that cellulite effect, due to the thin skin and the uneven distribution of fat under their skin.

These days, there are plenty of creams, supplements and treatments that claim to help you get rid of cellulite.  No matter what you hear, there is no evidence that any of the creams or supplements for cellulite have any effect on it.  The latest treatment for cellulite that I have heard of is Endermologie.  This treatment can be administered only by a M.D. and basically what it involves is a high-powered massage.  This may temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite, but the results are temporary.  The cost of this is around $100 per treatment and you may need 14 to 21 treatments.  Is that worth it for a temporary solution?

There is nothing anybody can do to completely get rid of cellulite.  The only control you have is the reduction of your body fat, which will often reduce the appearance of cellulite.  The best way to reduce your body fat is through a sensible diet and an exercise program.  (Source:  University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter, Volume 18, Issue 5, February 2002)

Myth #5: Doing high reps with lower weight will give definition, and low reps with heavy weight will bulk you up.
The fact is whether you do high reps low weight or low reps heavy weight, your muscles will get toned.  Heavy weight low reps will not necessarily bulk you up, and low weight high reps will definitely not get you cut (give you definition).  A matter of fact, getting cut and being able to see definition has nothing to do with how you perform your lifts or how much weight you are using; it has to do with how much fat you have covering your muscles.  Losing fat is the only way to get definition and cut.   Most women do not have to worry about bulking up because no matter what they do, they do not have the quantities of hormones needed. Have you noticed how power lifters are smaller than most bodybuilders, and yet are much stronger?  Power lifters work mostly with heavy weights low reps and although they do gain muscle, they don’t gain as much as bodybuilders. 

Myth #6: When it comes to resistance training, you need to do at least three sets to get results.
This has been one of the biggest lies to hit the gym, along with spot reduction.  Two studies that I know of have shown that there is no difference in muscle or strength gains in the first four months of a beginner’s workout, between doing one set and three sets.  The difference came after the fourth month, where the people that did three sets continued to make gains, where the people that did only one set hit a plateau.  However, as you will see in this book, there is a way to do one or two sets per exercise and gain more strength and muscle than doing three sets per exercise.  But if you are a woman and you only care about toning your muscle, not bulking up or increasing strength, you do not have to do more than one set.  Remember if you are trying to achieve a toned, defined body, although weight training is very important, more weight training will not help you get toned faster. In most cases, if you have been doing resistance training, what prevents most people from looking toned is not lack of tightness in their muscle but too much fat covering the muscle. The best way to lose fat is by doing aerobics and eating a proper diet.  Once you reduce your body fat, you will be able to see the toned muscles that you have achieved through the weight training, and that will give your body the look you have been working for. 

Myth #7: You can lose weight just by taking some pill.
If there was a pill you could take that would allow you to lose all the weight you wanted, without doing any exercise or dieting, it would have been on the 6 o’clock news.  Trust me, no such pill exists.  When you see people on TV advertising that they took some pill and lost weight, first of all, we do not know if they are telling the truth, nor do we know what else they did besides take the diet pill.  They could have been dieting and exercising at the same time, and lost the weight because of that and not the pill.  If you look on the label on a lot of diet pills, they do recommend that you eat right and exercise.  Also, as you have seen on TV, a lot of the diet pills have some major side effects, which sometimes even include death.  Don’t fall victim to the diet pills.  If it were that easy to lose weight, everybody would be skinny by now.