In this digital world, people often seek free-of-cost solutions available on the internet especially when it comes to weight loss. It’s quite natural for people to blindly follow internet advice and fitness influencers just by looking at the number of followers. However, expert advice and consultation can never replace random searches. We have Diksha Chhabra, a renowned fitness influencer and a sports nutritionist, founder of Diksha Chhabra Fitness Consultations, who debunks five myths about weight loss. Diksha herself has an incredible weight loss journey losing over 30kgs, gaining her lost confidence and rising above body shaming.
Here are a few of the overly-hyped weight loss tips, myths and misconceptions you may find scattered all over the internet world
Green tea does not help in burning belly fat or quick weight loss
Almost every green-tea brand in the market is selling it as weight loss which is completely a bogus claim. The truth behind this is that green tea cannot do anything to lose weight or belly fat magically, however, it can help with improving your body's detoxification process, Mood swings and immunity due to certain properties in it.
Drinking lemon water in the morning will not aid in weight loss directly
Lemon doesn't have any such properties that can cut fat from your body. However, if you are drinking it as a replacement for sugar-laden beverages then it's a good way to create a calorie deficit. It also helps in digesting your food, providing Vitamin C, Kidney function and anti-oxidants.
People who try to go on a diet to lose weight are told to cut down on sugar and switch to healthier alternatives, or sources of natural sugar like honey and jaggery
While these two remain the most common choices, it's a misconception to think that they are true, the best replacements for sugar. Just because you are swapping sugar for jaggery in your cup of chai, or adding honey in your desserts doesn't make it the safest. In fact, unchecked intake of these two 'healthy' ingredients could be detrimental to your weight loss journey as both jaggery and honey have almost equal amounts of calories as sugar the only thing that makes it healthier is the presence of certain vitamins and minerals, which has no role in weight loss.
Hot water helps in burning calories hence, help in weight loss
Irrespective of the temperature water has no weight loss properties. On the other hand, good hydration is important for basic metabolic functions like digestion and excretion. Drinking loads of hot water after meals with the thought that it’ll melt your deposited fat inside is misleading. Only exercise can help to burn body fat.
Dal or pulses is not a complete protein.
If you are trying to shed weight, the importance of protein for the same is nothing new to you. But we often get confused about protein sources especially Dal because it's part of our everyday meals and we certainly eat it more sometimes to provide a protein-rich diet. However, dal is not a complete protein for the simple reason it doesn't contain all the essential amino acids. To make it a wholesome protein source, it's advisable to mix 2_3 different Dals, legumes and whole grain and then add to your diet.