- MYTH 1. Carbs are all bad
Truth: Not all carbs are created equal. The “bad” carbs include added simple sugars and refined carbohydrates from white flour, and are easy to digest with little real value for your body – so limit candy, desserts, pastries, white rice, white bread, syrup and sodas in your diet.
The “good” carbs, on the other hand, are complex carbohydrates with fibre. These include vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans, which take longer to break down into glucose. Such foods do not cause a surge in sugar levels in our blood and generally keeps us feeling full longer. They also contain essential vitamins and minerals that keep our skin and immune system healthy.
So what does all this mean? It does not mean you need to avoid “bad” carbs altogether. Just make sure you have a balanced diet with more good carbs than bad.
- MYTH 2. Slimming pills are effective for long-term weight loss.
Truth: Weight loss medication requires medical supervision and is only prescribed for a short period. A healthy weight can only be achieved with a balanced diet and adequate exercise.
- MYTH 3. Eating after 6pm makes you fat.
Truth: What matters is not the time you eat, but how many calories you consume. If you use more calories than your calorie intake, weight loss will happen.
- MYTH 4. You must work out to lose weight.
Truth: All activities requires calories, and contribute to weight loss. However, in a fast-paced society like ours, it’s important to optimise the time we spend to achieve weight loss. A vigorous workout would burn more calories in a shorter time than a low-intensity workout. Aerobic exercises such as brisk walking, cycling and swimming are recommended workouts for everyone.
- MYTH 5. Excessive fat and skin laxity around the tummy, thighs and elbow can only be reduced by surgery.
Truth: There are non-surgical treatments for skin tightening, volume reduction and body contouring. For example, the Exilis device uses a combination of radio frequency, ultrasound and skin cooling technology to break down fats and tighten skin without surgery.