When it comes to fitness and weight loss, the media and Internet bombards you with a vast array of ideas. It seems everyone from the cab driver to the late night lounge singer has advice on how to lose weight. Here at fitnessrxwomen.com, we know how difficult it can be to separate fitness fact from fiction. That’s why we only publish solid scientific information. We believe science helps you decide between what’s really good and what just sounds good.
But that means you have a lot to remember. So, just to see if you’ve been paying attention, we’ve put together a quiz. Each question has been drawn from the archives of fitnessrxwomen.com. Peruse the statements below, make a mental note as to whether you think they are true or false, and check your answers with the correct ones below.
1. True or False: An electronic ab belt is an easy route to a chiseled six-pack.
2. True or False: Monounsaturated fats should be avoided in a healthy diet.
3. True or False:: If you take in fewer calories than you use during metabolism and exercise, you will lose weight.
4. True or False: Cellulite creams, especially those with aminophylline, are proven to be the best way to get rid of “cottage cheese thighs.”
5. True or False: While lifting weights builds muscle, it does little to burn fat.
6. True or False: Low-intensity exercise is better than high-intensity exercise for burning fat.
7. True or False: Eating a diet high in fiber helps you lose body fat.
8. True or False: Your typical gourmet café latte is about 10 calories.
9. True or False: Eliminating fat in your diet is all you need to rid your body of cellulite.
10. True or False: Leg lifts and squats are the only way to a fit and toned lower body and slimmer thighs and hips.
Answers
1. False. Electronically causing your muscles to flex while you sit at your desk and/or work from home is more science fiction than science. The Federal Trade Commission has previously charged three makers of electronic ab belts with making false claims. While electrical muscle stimulation is effective for maintaining muscle mass after surgery, it is not effective for developing fitness. The best way to chisel your abs is with a strict diet, cardio workouts and abdominal strengthening exercises.
2. False. Monounsaturated fats, such as those found in olive oil, are good for you and will actually help you lose body fat and improve heart and blood vessel health. Nutritionists found that the body uses more fat after eating olive oil (monounsaturated fat) than cream (saturated fat). The study suggests that people who want to lose body fat and use more fat as fuel should substitute monounsaturated fats for saturated fats.
3. True. Ask any health expert and you will get the same answer: The best way to lose weight is to move more and eat less.
4. False. While it would be great to merely apply cream and melt the excess padding off your thighs, creams are more hype than help. The consensus among health professionals is that until there is more research, expensive creams may only lessen your bank account, not your cellulite.
5. False. Lifting weights increases muscle mass, which is the most important tissue for increasing metabolism and burning calories. Follow the weight-training advice at fitnessrxwomen.com to stoke your metabolic fire without bulking up your frame. To really burn the fat, combine weight training with cardiovascular workouts such as walking, swimming or cycling.
6. False. You lose fat by burning more calories than you take in. You will burn many more calories when you train intensely than exercising slowly. The body does not metabolize fats by themselves. Rather, fat metabolism is integrated with carbohydrate and protein metabolism. So it does not matter where the calories come from; it all balances out. Intense exercise causes you to burn more calories and fat after the exercise is over. So when trying to lose fat, work harder and burn more total calories.
7. True. Recent scientific studies showed that people on high-fiber/low-fat diets lost three times as much weight as people who ate only a low-fat diet.
8. False. While a cup of black coffee is about 10 calories, a latte or mocha with half-and-half, sugar and topped with whipped cream is about 600 calories. So watch what you add to your daily dose of java.
9. False. Exercise and eating fewer calories than what you need is the best way to minimize cellulite accumulation. Improved diet, strength training and cardiovascular workouts are the best formula to rid yourself of cellulite.
10. False. Performing just a few specific exercises without improved nutrition and a cardio program gets you where you want to go no faster than driving a car without a steering wheel. A sensible diet is a key step in cutting down extra fat, and your heart is an excellent fat-burning muscle. Before starting a program, make sure you have all the key elements for success.
How Did You Do?
Tally up the number of correct answers and see where you rank.
0-2 correct: Budding fitness buff. It’s never too late to start a fitness program. fitnessrxwomen.com is your best source of advice for trimming extra pounds and looking great. Start today!
3-5 correct: Calorie Counter. You are on your way to becoming an expert on fat loss. Keep up the good work!
6-8 correct: Fitness Expert. Your fat-burn I.Q. is very impressive. If you don’t have a fit, sexy and toned body already, you are on your way.
9-10 correct: Fitness Guru. When you walk into a room, excess fat runs and hides in a corner. Congratualtions on your overwhelming fat-loss knowledge.
