We just smashed 5 myths about weight loss

There’s plenty of health advice on the internet about how to achieve your best body, but what information is actually real?

If you’ve hit a plateau in your weight loss journey, and you just can’t figure out why the hell you’re not losing weight, it could be because you’re working based on faulty information.

We’ve found the most common weight loss myths and broken them down for you so you can get cracking on those final stubborn pounds.

MYTH 1: Starving is the key to weight loss

Let’s bust this ASAP and get one thing straight: starving is not the answer to weight loss. In fact, what if we told you eating more is the answer?

When you add a workout routine to your day, your body needs fuel in order to gain muscle. If you’re training too much and eating too little, your metabolism can even slow down, making it harder for your body to produce changes. Muscle burns fat, so if you don’t eat enough, you won’t build muscle OR burn fat as effectively.

Handy tip: Make sure your meals and snacks have a good balance of macronutrients (we’re talking protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats). All meal plans on Centr automatically do this, taking out the guesswork for you.

MYTH 2: You must smash yourself at the gym every day

Stop punishing yourself! The Centr daily planner is designed with balance in mind – a mix of cardio and strength work, Pilates and yoga, a Foundation Training day with Dr Eric Goodman, and allowing time for rest and recovery.If you’re training hard seven days a week, or only focusing on one part of your body or one form of exercise, you’ll burn out quickly. And the more stressed your body is, the harder it can be to shift the weight.

Handy tip: Listen to your body and make sure you give it time to rest. That doesn’t mean you have to stop moving completely - if your arms are too tired to lift weights today, swap that session out and try a yoga workout instead. Your body will thank you for mixing it up. Remember, variety is key!

MYTH 3: Carbs are the enemy

Carbohydrates are your body’s main fuel source. Once you burn through all the carbs in your body, you will burn some fat but you may also eating into your muscle to fuel itself. You need muscle to burn energy, so if your muscles are dwindling, your body will burn less fat. Which is not what we want!

Handy tip: Just because you’re working out for the day doesn’t mean you have to avoid carbs at night. Carbs can help some people get a better night’s sleep, and they also help if you have muscle gain goals. Increase or decrease your carb intake according to your individual needs.

MYTH 4: You can’t eat your favorite food

Think diet food is all lettuce without dressing and carrot sticks? No way. A big part of seeing changes in your body is about making changes that you can stick to – and that means enjoying your life. Meal plans on Centr is focused on fresh, healthy dishes that totally taste good.

Handy tip: Let go of the idea that the food is either “good” or “bad,” and view foods that don’t pack a nutritional punch as “treats” instead of “cheat” meals.