Myth FITs

July 8, 2012

Have you put on your bathing suit yet … or perhaps shorts, tank top, or other summer clothing?  If you’re feeling down about how you look, then this article is for you! I recently read a list of myths from my fellow editors at Best Health magazine. We all fall for these myths at one point or another.  The points that you should take to heart are the ones that destroy these old myths we have all heard for years …

Myth 1: My ideal weight was when I graduated college, or before I had kids. 

If you’re hoping to get back to what you weighed a few years ago, fine. But if you’re looking at 10 or more years down memory lane, stop. Many people put on weight as they get older, and a slower metabolism makes it all the harder to slim down as easily or as quickly as you did in the past. Don’t live in the past! Set a goal that works for the way you live now and focuses on your overall health.

Myth 2: I’ll find my ideal weight on a standard height and weight chart.

Many factors play a role in determining your weight, such as your body type, the number of fat cells you have, how muscular you are, et cetera. The numbers on a standard body mass index (BMI) chart are just approximations, and may not be the best gauge of good health. Studies show they many standard BMI charts actually undercount some women as overweight by not measuring body fat. Don’t be a skinny fat person! You would actually be healthier if you were counted as overweight because you have a higher ratio of muscle to fat.

Myth 3: My ideal weight is the lowest number I’ve hit on past diets.

The fact that you’re dieting again means that you’ve gained some, if not all, of the weight back. If you set a weight-loss goal that’s too low to maintain, you’ll get caught in an unhealthy vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting. Such repeated weight loss and regaining can alter your body composition, lowering the amount of muscle mass you have. This, in turn, can slow your metabolism and lower your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar. So what’s your best weight goal? The one you can actually live with.

Myth 4: The less I weigh, the healthier I’ll be.

Not true. In fact, many studies show that if you’re overweight, losing just 5 to 10 percent of your current weight is all you have to do to reap the bulk of the health benefits associated with weight loss: lower risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and even some forms of cancer.

Myth 5:  I will not have to worry about losing weight, I’ll just start a few weeks before I need to worry about it.

Nothing can be further from the truth, especially if you are no longer in your 30’s.

Now that we have aged our bodies have slowed down and losing weight is much harder, and our life choices are often not in line with our goals, meaning we don’t  build in the time necessary to exercise safely. Smart weight loss should be functional and healthy. 

F.I.T.  Human Performance looks at health and fitness from a functional perspective.  How well do our bodies move?  How is our posture, our balance, our mobility?  Do we have the right balance of muscle to fat. We follow the FMS (Functional Movement System) protocols and use testing, charting, and reporting to assess and develop bodies that are healthy and that move in a functional manner.  No injuries, no guessing, just functional fitness. 

Your body is a temple and truly needs to be treated like that, and we are ready to help.  Is it time to re-think your health goals…summer or otherwise?  

Don’t be a Myth-FIT. Call today and let’s work it out! 

In good health, 

Bob

“All parts of the body which have a function if used in moderation and exercised in labors in which each is accustomed, become thereby healthy, well developed and age more slowly, but if unused they become liable to disease, defective in growth and age quickly.”

~Hippocrates~