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Myths about the Big 3 New Year's Resolutions This month we will look at some common myths and see if they can be busted! |
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What are the Big 3? The 3 most common resolutions are:
Below we will look at some common myths associated with these resolutions: |
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Diet Myths |
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Many people think that by skipping a meal, they will be eating less food and therefore lose weight. Studies show that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day tend to be heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast and eat four or five times a day. If you skip a meal, your body will think that you are in starvation mode and therefore slow down the metabolism to compensate. You then tend to overeat at the next meal. Often, skipping a meal and then eating too much at the next one means that you have a higher total caloric intake than if you just ate more frequently throughout the day. A better approach is to eat smaller frequent healthy meals and snacks to keep your blood sugar balanced. Don’t eat after 8 p.m. Many diets tell you not to eat after a certain time in the evening. They say the body will store more fat because it is not burned off with any activity. It's not when you eat that's important, but the total amount you consume in a 24-hour period. Also, calories can’t tell the time! Your body digests and uses calories the same way morning, noon, and night. They may sit around a little longer if you eat, then lie on the lounge and watch TV, but when you move around the next day, your body will dip into it's stores. However, there are other good reasons to avoid late-night snacking, not least of which is that snacks you grab when you’re tired tend to be unhealthy ones. So these myths are now ... |
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| Exercise Myths | |
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It's best to exercise before breakfast because you burn more fat There is little evidence to support this theory, however, the number one consideration for exercise is to do something each day. Although a case can be made that walking in the morning will increase metabolic rate early in the day, and therefore result in greater energy use over the whole day, when you exercise really depends on what you prefer. With the right exercise, you can get rid of trouble spots Focussing on specific areas of your body when exercising is useful in building up the muscles, but it can't get rid of the fat in the "subcutaneous" layer. Only losing weight can get rid of excess fat, and where you lose weight depends on your genes. Losing weight around the waist is easier than losing it on the hips. Spot reducing is a myth! No Pain, No Gain Many people think that you have to work at a very high intesity in order to get benefit. In fact, moderate-intensity exercise lowers the risk of dying just as much as high-intensity exericse. |
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| Smoking Myths | |
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Some people gain weight when they stop smoking, some lose weight and some stay the same. While nicotine does increase the body's metabolism, it's effect is small. It's far healthier to be an overweight non-smoker than not bother giving up because you think you'll put on weight. Where people tend to fall down is when they replace a cigarette with comfort food. Chewing sugar-free gum or snacking on vegetable strips kept in the fridge is a good idea because you can have these instead of reaching for the biscuit tin. Smoking only a few cigarettes a day is OK Smoking isn't safe even if you're smoking one cigarette a day. Every cigarette contains about 1 to 2 milligrams of nicotine, and it reaches your brain 10 seconds after you inhale. Immediately after that first puff, you'll get a rush of adrenaline that may increase your blood pressure, your heart rate, and your breathing. Smoking filtered or menthol cigarettes is safe Despite the filters, nicotine and other dangerous chemicals will get through when you smoke. People who smoke filtered cigarettes may inhale even more deeply, thereby getting more carbon monoxide and other substances into their lungs. Smokers only need to worry about lung cancer Unfortunately, smoking causes a number of other lung diseases, including emphysema, a degenerative disease that makes breathing more and more difficult. Smoking also incrases your risk of heart disease, particularly if you have high blood pressure or high cholesterols, and aggravates many digestive disorders as well. It can also cause cancer of the mouth, larynx (voice box), and esophagus. Smoking also plays a role in cancer of the pancreas, kidney, bladder, and, in womend, cancer of the cervix. Smoking is cool and sexy Smoking stains your teeth, causes wrinkles in your face, and puts cigarette smoke in your clothes. It won't do much for your breath or your overall aroma, either. Studies show that men with high blood pressure who smoke are far more likely than non smokers to become impotent. That's not exactly sexy! |
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| Watch out for more Medical Mythbusters next month | |
| If you need help with changing your lifestyle don't forget to consult your friendly, local Pharmacist or Contact Us | |
