Eating clean, training hard, no days off? But still not satisfied?
Firstly - I want you to stop self sabotaging and feeling guilty about it. It is not down to your will power! It has a lot to do with your hormones! Such as, cortisol, estrogen, thyroid, DHEA and insulin. Hormones essentially control your appetite, and how and where you metabolise you food. The good news is that you can reset your hormones!
They’re other facts for why ‘dieting’ isn’t working for us such stress, inflammation, and your gut microbiome which I will get into in a later post. Lets bust some come myths around being so concerned around belly fat (But first I want you to remember you are beautiful and your body is a temple my friend, own it!)
Myth 1: Training abdominals will get rid of belly fat.
Unfortunately, not really. Performing abdominal exercises will improve your abdominal strength which is very important. But, it cannot suddenly eliminate the ‘visceral fat’ you maybe wishing away that surrounds your organs. I urge you to carry on training your core to prevent back pain and avoid any injuries. However, it can not instantly give you that flat stomach or six pack . To feel more in control in achieving your healthy set weight, is understanding and tackling your hormones, by reducing inflammation, toxin overload, and stress through nutrition and lifestyle changes.
Myth 2: I need to count calories and restrict my intake.
While calorie counting and being in a calorie deficit may have its benefits. Personally I believe that this is not sustainable long-term both mentally and physically. You place all your mental energy onto the amount of calories you are consuming instead of the nutrient intake food holds. You may find yourself opting for ‘fat free’, ‘0 calories’, or ‘skinny foods’. These foods often hold no micronutrients, fibre, and antioxidants. Instead you find yourself stuck on the numbers on the back of the food packets you are eating instead of consuming fresh fruit and vegetables. Your body requires nutrients and when it does not get enough, it can make you hungry, so focus on eating nutrient dense foods that will help you with those food cravings.
Myth 3: I must exercise to loose weight and tighten the tummy.
Contrary to popular belief, exercise is not the only way to lose weight. However - exercise is so important for overall health and wellbeing and I 100% recommend exercise for everyone. This does not mean killing it in the gym every day (which will probably make it worse if your hormones are haywire). I mean movement and exercise through your favourite activities that you can fit into your daily schedule.
We know exercise is amazing for you. But, if you’re are trying to lose weight, looking at what’s on your plate maybe more helpful. ‘Over-exercising’ is a form of stress on the body and if not done correctly, can lead to increased stress hormones to be released (e.g. cortisol) which then can lead to increased body weight. Ask yourself what exercise and much are you doing? If you need some more guidance and how you can exercise with your cycle to get the best results and not overtrain yourself into petty, check out my latest blog.
Myth 4: I need to eat less carbs and more protein
Fad diets have been around forever, from low fat to sugar free. You may temporally loose weight on any different diet at first. Though the question is can you achieve long-term sustainable optimal health and wellbeing on these diets? Probably not. The weight will just pile back on once it is over. Why? Because you did not address the underlying issue and cause to what is causing your to feel stuck in the first place.