Misconceptions about losing weight

Not true! Those who weigh themselves daily usually experience an emotional rollercoaster. If the scales show less, you’re extremely happy, but if it’s a few grams more, you’re down in the dumps. There can be good reasons for small weight fluctuations:

Stored water, especially in women before their period. Increase in muscle mass – from sport and exercise. As muscle weighs more than fat, you don’t see your success on the scales. At the beginning of a diet you usually lose weight faster, later somewhat slower. In the short term, weight may even stagnate, because the metabolism is switching over. Now it’s a matter of persevering and possibly boosting calorie consumption with some more exercise. Then the pounds will continue to melt away.

Good to know:
Those who are at the mercy of the scales every day soon start fighting their frustration with food again. Often the worst binge eating takes place after what looks like an unsuccessful weigh-in. So, only weigh once a week, preferably always on the same day of the week at the same time.

Not always true! If “light” stands for low-fat, for example in the case of sausages and cheese, this can be useful for you to save calories. But light products often come with sweeteners – and that can actually boost appetite. Consequently, you allow yourself larger portions because the food is “light”, and this way you sabotage your weight loss efforts.

Good to know:
Focus on foods and products that are naturally low in fat and sugar like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, lean processed meat and sausage products etc.

Not completely true! It’s true that fats in general really are the biggest fatteners, because fat provides 9 calories per gram, twice as much as protein and carbohydrates. The main problem is the large amount of hidden fats, mostly low-grade trans fats, which are particularly found in convenience products, bakery products and fast food. Even a small croissant contains a whopping 24 grams of fat! Your fat intake should not exceed 60 to 80 grams per day overall. Should you ever exceed this limit, formoline L112 helps bind part of these dietary fats thus making them unavailable for metabolization.

Good to know:
Fat is not the same as fat. Polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as those found in high-quality vegetable oils, are in fact essential, in moderation. Look to increase your consumption of the “good” unsaturated fats, such as rapeseed oil, linseed oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, and omega-3 fatty acids from fish, e.g. salmon, mackerel, or herring. These high-quality fats are important energy suppliers and carriers of essential fatty acids. Many vitamins are also only made available to the body through fat. And they are very important for a smoothly functioning metabolism, among other things. In turn, this is the prerequisite for successful weight loss. When it comes to convenience products, it helps to look at the nutritional information in order to track down hidden fats and avoid them specifically.

Not completely true! Of course, it’s generally advisable to eat less if you want to lose weight. But what matters is what ends up on the plate. That’s why the method has some drawbacks:

• If you cut all meals in half from one day to the next you’re fooling the body into believing there is an “emergency”. It slows down the metabolism, the basal metabolic rate drops and the yo-yo effect is just waiting to happen.
• If you suddenly eat radically less, you risk craving attacks.
• Most people tend to eat a rather unhealthy diet as it is. “Eat half” may then mean that the meagre supply of essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids is also halved, and that can have fatal consequences.

Good to know:
A diet must make you feel satiated. Therefore, a long-term changeover to a calorie- and fat-conscious diet is the best way to a slim figure. The new eating habits are meaningfully supplemented by regular exercise.

Not completely true! Diet methods like Low Carb or Atkins want to convince you that a protein-heavy diet – plenty of meat, cream and eggs – will cause the pounds to disappear without much effort. Here carbohydrates from bread, potatoes, pasta are taboo. In the long run, however, these one-sided diets are malnutrition. Because carbohydrates, along with fat and protein, are among the main components of our food and are important sources of dietary fibre. In addition, the heightened fat intake that accompanies such diets poses health risks, especially for those with cardiovascular disease, kidney and liver problems, gout, as well as pregnant women and the elderly.

Good to know:
Avoid unfavourable carbohydrates from industrial sugar, glucose, fructose, etc., because these sugars raise insulin secretion and in turn can stimulate fat storage and stimulate appetite. It also makes sense to opt for whole grains rather than processed flour when it comes to bread and pasta. Whole grains keep you satiated longer, provide plenty of fibre, and only lead to a slow rise in insulin levels.

Not true! So far, no recognized study has been able to clearly demonstrate that three meals are better than five or vice versa. The decisive factor is the overall energy balance. Lots of small snacks in between meals are always a bad idea, because they raise the overall insulin level in the blood and so can promote the build-up of fatty tissue.

Good to know:
Pay attention to your individual needs. If you feel comfortable with three slightly larger portions and don’t feel hungry in between, then why not stick with that. If you prefer to eat five small meals, that’s fine as well. However, what’s important in either case: Hands off sweet or fatty snacks, as well as high-calorie drinks like soft drinks, sweetened lattes, etc.

Not true! Whether a meal contains a lot of or little energy doesn’t depend on its temperature. But hot dishes often look more sumptuous than cold ones, hence the myth. A real “slimmer” as a main dish is a vegetable stew for instance. A hot vegetable broth as an appetizer fills the stomach with just 10 calories per cup. A (cold) salad with dressing delivers much more – one tablespoon of oil has about 90 kcal.

Good to know:
Pay specific attention to low-calorie preparation of cold and hot meals.
Always use a spoon to measure out fat and oil.
Generally cut off any visible fat.
Put your overall focus on low-calorie foods, especially fruits, vegetables, lean meats and poultry, as well as whole grains and low-fat dairy products.

Not true! Healthy weight loss depends on the right amount and balance of nutrients. If you strictly forbid snacking, cravings will raise their ugly head as time goes on. So it’s better to specifically plan in something sweet.

Good to know:

• The best time to snack is after a meal. Enjoy a small portion – consciously, in peace and with all your senses.
• Never snack between meals and definitely not when you’re hungry, because then it is hard to stop after a small portion.
• Buy low-fat sweets and snacks in the smallest package sizes available. A small piece of dark chocolate is also recommended.
• And treat yourself to a sweet dessert occasionally. But try to get by with half a serving – that’s where “Eat half” makes sense!

Not true. But it still makes sense to have a vigorous massage from time to time. Dry brushing stimulates blood flow and can have a firming effect on the tissue. It also eliminates dead skin cells. Your skin becomes smoother.

Good to know:
It’s best to massage in the morning, because dry brushing gets the circulation going. Always brush with circling motions, starting from the bottom up.

You get the best effect when you massage regularly – preferably daily.

Not true! The body usually reduces fat where it can most likely do without it – on the face, buttocks, and often on women’s breasts. Thighs, abdomen and upper arms usually come later. It can help if you train the “problem areas” specifically so you build up firm muscles there.

Good to know:
It’s best to lose weight slowly – 500 grams per week is just fine. This also gives the skin time to go back and – supported by sport and massage – to become nicely firm again.