Contents
- “From any diet, weight only grows as a result”
- “Losing excess weight is good for health”
- “You need to eat three times a day, without snacking”
- “In order not to get better, you need to exclude fatty foods”
- Read more:
- “Counting calories doesn’t make sense”
- “Exercise is an effective way to get rid of excess calories”
- “It’s better to do the same sport all the time”
- “Only intensive training brings results”
- “Special creams can remove extra centimeters”
Less and less believing in the standard ideal, we still know: a toned, light body gives us energy and brings joy. Nutrition, movement, massage – how well do we know the allies of our harmony?
Recall that only 21% of women admit that they do not want to change anything in their own appearance *. But 75% would willingly change some part of it, such as the stomach (70%), thighs (40%) or buttocks (23%). But we still have less claims to our own body than information – often inaccurate and contradictory – about how to deal with them. What features of nutrition, exercise or cosmetic care are really effective? We asked experts to clarify or refute common statements.
“From any diet, weight only grows as a result”
TRUE, if we are talking about a temporary restriction in food, and not about a balanced diet, which we follow constantly. “In 80% of cases, the weight does not just return, but increases,” says Viktor Tutelyan, director of the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Sciences. – When enough nutrients are not supplied to the blood, the body switches on the economy mode: the metabolism slows down, and hunger increases. After the end of the diet, the body tries to compensate for the losses by actively increasing the fat layer. In addition, diets deplete muscles, and weight is returned mainly in the form of fat. “If a person loses more than a kilogram in a week, he loses weight due not only to fat, but also to muscle tissue,” confirms Alexander Turgenev, an instructor at the Hard Candy fitness club.
“Losing excess weight is good for health”
YES, BUT … if we emphasize, we are not talking about diets: the stricter the restrictions, the higher the risk of negative consequences. Protein and low-carbohydrate diets can cause diabetes, “fat-free” ones are fraught with heart attack and stroke. Experts also call mono-diets dangerous to health. “There are no “good” or “bad” products, Viktor Tutelyan is sure. – For example, apples are great, but a week on an apple diet can greatly undermine health. Dieting also damages bones: a 10% weight loss is accompanied by a 1-2% decrease in bone density, which increases the risk of osteoporosis.
“You need to eat three times a day, without snacking”
PROBABLY NOT. On the contrary, experts recommend eating more often, but little by little. “Three meals a day is not the norm,” explains nutritionist Olga Smykova. – Between breakfast, lunch and dinner, it is even useful to have light snacks. By consuming the same amount of calories in 5-6 meals instead of XNUMX, we help to speed up the metabolism, which gradually brings the weight back to normal. “Fractional nutrition is physiologically more favorable,” agrees sports nutritionist Patricia Teixeira. “It maintains a stable level of glucose and proteins in the blood, and also helps to avoid the heaviness in the stomach, lethargy and drowsiness that haunt us every time after a hearty meal.”
“In order not to get better, you need to exclude fatty foods”
WRONG. The world began a decisive fight against fat in the 80s – and since then humanity has recovered significantly. The role of fat-containing foods in the formation of excess weight is greatly exaggerated. “For the figure, easily digestible (“fast”) carbohydrates are much more harmful, which dramatically increase blood sugar levels,” explains Alexander Turgenev. – They are found in large quantities in refined foods, such as potatoes, sweets, white bread. They quickly saturate and instantly give strength, therefore they are recommended for athletes during competitions, however, in the absence of physical exertion, sugar contributes to the accumulation of fat, settling on the waist and hips. The amount of easily digestible carbohydrates in a product reflects the glycemic index, introduced in 1981 by Canadian physician David Jenkins (David Jenkins): he compared the effect on the body of different foods with the effect of glucose, which he assigned 100 points. It turned out that, for example, the glycemic index of a hamburger is 103, white bread is 85, milk chocolate is 70, and dark with 70% cocoa is 22, tomato juice is 15. And in meat and fish (including fatty), easily digestible carbohydrates absent at all!
Read more:
- “Our idea of beauty is changing”
- The structure of harmony
“Counting calories doesn’t make sense”
YES AND NO. Of course, calories matter. “The body needs exactly as much as it spends,” recalls Viktor Tutelyan. However, calories are different for calories. “Some products improve metabolism, while others do not,” emphasizes Patricia Texera and advises including pineapples, grapefruits, kiwi and spices in the menu that stimulate this process. As well as wholemeal bread, brown rice and a maximum of fiber-rich vegetables and fruits. A simple example: in 100 g of ice cream and vinaigrette, there are approximately the same number of calories, however, their effect on the body is different: firstly, the glycemic index of ice cream is 70, and vinaigrette is 35; secondly, there is a lot of fiber in the vinaigrette, which is not digested, but it provides timely cleansing of the intestines. So, most of the calories obtained from vinaigrette saturate the stomach, but it does not affect the waist.
“Exercise is an effective way to get rid of excess calories”
NOT REALLY. Half an hour of water aerobics, 25 minutes of badminton, or 15 minutes of breaststroke burns 120 calories. They are replenished with just one fruit yogurt. So, the role of sports in the formation of a harmonious figure is exaggerated? By no means! The main merit of sports is that it strengthens muscles and allows you not to gain kilograms generated by psychological discomfort. Many people are used to finding support in food, but exercise relieves stress and charges us with positive emotions just as effectively and with greater health benefits. Even coaches admit that it is worth doing only those sports that bring joy. Swimming or pedaling, dancing or jumping on a trampoline, playing tennis or squatting – only we decide. Some people like the atmosphere of the gym, others prefer outdoor activities. Or you can just walk to work or stroll through the streets.
SWIMMING, DANCE OR JUMP – YOU SHOULD ONLY DO A SPORT THAT BRINGS JOY.
“It’s better to do the same sport all the time”
NO, it is more efficient to combine different types of loads. “For the body, training is a lesson, having learned which it becomes stronger,” says Alexander Turgenev. “But if you give him the same type of tasks all the time, then the effect will decrease.” To lose weight, sports doctor Anzhelika Feoktistova recommends focusing on cardio training, alternating them with strength training and yoga: “Yoga gives a feeling of lightness and harmony, which is important, because extra pounds are often the result of internal discomfort.”
“Only intensive training brings results”
YES AND NO. Regular classes are effective at least twice a week, Alexander Turgenev is sure. It doesn’t have to be a lot of time in the gym. The principle is the same as with a foreign language: classes can be short, but systematic. “Each exercise can be done in one approach – this gives 60% of the effectiveness of a regular workout, during which the approaches are repeated three times,” says the fitness instructor. “So, it is possible to strengthen all muscle groups in just a quarter of an hour.” It’s good to start playing sports gradually: overworking “increases the risk of injury, and most importantly, discourages interest in training.”
“Special creams can remove extra centimeters”
YES, BUT…usually centimeters come back a couple of weeks after the remedy is stopped. “Creams improve local blood circulation and stimulate lipolysis, that is, they contribute to the breakdown of triglycerides accumulated in adipocytes, fat cells,” explains cytologist, specialist in the treatment of obesity and metabolic disorders Max Lafontan (Max Lafontan). Creams that can remove a few centimeters contain at least 5% caffeine, and therefore it is good to study their composition on the package before buying: the closer caffeine is to the top of the list, the more it is in the formula. Massage movements with which the cream is applied increase its effectiveness. However, if you just use the cream, then the content of fat cells, having made a “lap of honor” in the intercellular space, will again take its place in adipocytes. It helps to completely remove it from the body … that’s right, sports. So it’s better to apply the cream – and to the workout!
* Online survey commissioned by Psychologies by Tiburon Research. It was attended by 800 Russian women aged 18 to 60 years.