Life
When it comes to understanding how weight relates to health, things can get tricky. There is so much information available on the subject, and much of it is contradictory. Sifting through all the research on this topic can be a huge undertaking, but one that will help to reveal which information is actual fact and how many myths about weight and health are floating around out there.
In this day and age, one would hope that it’d be easy to eliminate the falsehoods about how weight affects health. Unfortunately, too many people are profiting from the general public not doing their homework. With a new fad diet each month and tons of people jumping on board to support these weight loss trends, the truths about weight and what it means become murky and the health myths arise. And buying into these un-thruths can be a dangerous trap when it comes to long term health. What many people may not realize, is that blindly believing myths, without doing any research of their own, could lead to serious health problems in the future.
If you wondering how to get to the bottom of common misconceptions, but aren't sure where to start, consider these five myths about weight and health that prove things aren't always what they seem.
Myth 1: All Weight Loss Is Good
When people want to lose weight in a short amount of time, they may turn to extreme calorie cutting for a week or two. Not only will this make you cranky AF, but Today reportes that crash dieting resents many dangers to your long term health. Loosing weight at a rapid pace then regaining it quickly takes a toll on your cardiovascular system and taxes your glucose tolerance, which can increase the risk of diabetes.
Myth 2: Spot-Burning Is A Thing
Many exercise plans making promises to tone specific areas of the body, of spot burn. But as noted on Well + Good, there is no research or evidence to support the claim of spot-burning fat. Muscle cannot burn fat around just one spot, or muscle. When the body burns fat, the whole body sees the results, not just one muscle group.
Myth #3: Overweight Means Unhealthy
Some people are quick to assume that if someone is carrying extra pounds, they are unhealthy. But this is not always true. According to Psychology Today, your weight may not be a factor in your overall health. Weight is just one piece in the larger equation of a person's health. Each individual person cannot fit into to a general box when it comes to being healthy. Understanding what is healthy for each person is a personalized process.
Myth #4: All Extra Fat Is Created Equal
As reported in Women's Health, the biggest threat to your health is belly fat. The extra fat cells in the abdominal region are a threat to health due to their location in the body — because it is so close to many vital organs. Belly fat has also been linked to risk of illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.
Myth #5: High BMI Means You Need To Loose Weight
Understanding BMI, or body mass index, can be a useful tool when loosely used to help understand where you might fall on the spectrum of health. But being too literal with a BMI number is not a good idea. Health warned that a person's BMI doesn't account for many factors that effect a person's overall fitness, such as muscle mass. So although learning your BMI could be a helpful starting point for a wellness program, it's best to not invest too much in that number.
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