Received ideas on slimness

"Light products make you lose weight" "We must banish fats from our diet".

When it comes to slimming tips we often hear everything and its opposite, so it's sometimes difficult to separate the true from the false. In fact, these false ideas often put the brakes on our weight loss and lead to cravings.

• Eating low-fat products helps you lose weight

TRUE AND FALSE

Coke Zero, 0% yoghurt and low-calorie cream: low-calorie products are becoming increasingly popular in our supermarkets. Often sold at a higher price, they are not necessarily good for the diet. In fact, although the calories shown are lower than those in an ordinary product, this difference is offset by more sugar or sweetener, which are not necessarily good for the body. What's more, a 0% yoghurt will be much less satisfying in terms of nutrients and satiety, so we'll tend to eat twice as much! So, yes, eating low-fat products can help you to lose weight, but only if you don't overdo it!

• Starchy foods and bread are fattening

FALSE

Bread, potatoes, rice, pasta... these are often frowned upon when dieting. The main source of failure in dieting is deprivation, the fact of forbidding oneself this or that food leads to cravings and therefore to the failure of your weight loss. That's why it's such a bad idea not to eat starchy foods or bread. What's more, starchy foods contain complex carbohydrates, which provide our bodies with essential energy. Eating bread for breakfast, for example, gives you the energy you need to avoid morning slumps and stay focused. Obviously, breads are higher in calories than vegetables, so they should be eaten in limited quantities, but certainly not banned. Our advice is to consume a portion of around 150 to 200 g of cooked starchy foods per meal. In addition, limit your meal to a single starch: for example, if you opt for a pasta dish, avoid nibbling bread on the side. And if you want to enjoy a good pasta dish for fewer calories than a carrot, you can opt for Konjac pasta. 

• Drinking water helps you lose weight

FALSE

Some people say that drinking water throughout the day will help you lose weight. Drinking water has never made anyone lose weight. But it doesn't make you fat either! Water is vital to thebody. Drinking water eliminates waste from the body. Keeping well hydrated also boosts intestinal transit and helps to keep the stomach flat. For some people, it can have a psychostimulant effect. Drinking water will fill their stomachs and make them feel full, but this is only valid in the short term. However, you can drink unlimited quantities of water, as it has 0 calories.

And if you don't like water, you can add flavors to give it more taste, notably with the Waterdrop brand. 

• Red meat has too many calories

FALSE

Red meat is often banned from many diets but this is a mistake! Yes, a steak contains more calories than a chicken cutlet (for 100 grams of meat, there are 120 calories in a chicken cutlet versus 200 for a steak), but it also contains more protein and therefore takes longer to digest. The sensation of hunger is therefore delayed. Protein also helps to avoidmuscle loss . Choose fat-free grilled or baked meat rather than fried. If you find your meat too bland, forget mayonnaise or other industrial sauces, and opt for spices that will add taste without adding calories. As for the accompaniment, vegetables are your best ally. According to nutritionists, the portion of vegetables should correspond to twice that of meat.

• You can lose weight and enjoy yourself at the same time

TRUE

As mentioned above, psychological frustration is the primary cause ofdiet failure . To lose weight effectively and sustainably, you need to combine "health" and "pleasure". Meals must never become a source of deprivation. The more you deprive yourself, the more you'll want to give in. No food should be "forbidden". You simply have to be reasonable. Two pieces of chocolate at the end of a meal won't make you fat, but eating a bar of chocolate will. So, to slim down you need to balance your diet while listening to your body.

• To lose weight, it's better to spread your meals out over the day

TRUE

It's better to eat 4 or 5 small meals than 2 large ones. This means not increasing quantities, but eating more often and in smaller quantities. The calories remain unchanged, with the same total amount of proteins, lipids and carbohydrates. This is called food fractionation. For example, breakfast can be broken down into bread and jam in the morning, followed by fruit in the afternoon, while lunch can be eaten in 2 parts: starter and main course first, fruit and a dairy product a little later. By spreading out our food intake throughout the day, we avoid snacking on potato chips and cookies. This method also facilitates digestion and avoids overloading the stomach.

• Go to sport to lose weight

TRUE AND FALSE

It's true that to lose weight, we all know that we need to reduce our energy intake so that it's less than we spend. First of all, it takes an enormous amount of time to eliminate even a piece of cake. In fact, it's estimated that to lose 1 kilo you'd need to burn around 9,000 calories, so it's not that easy!

What's more, the sport does not necessarily lead to weight loss. When you exercise, fat mass decreases and muscle mass increases, so your weight is likely to stay the same. And if you decide overnight to start sport, you'll need to be patient and assiduous. Results should be seen within 3 to 6 months.

To complement your sporting activity, you can wear our Fit active leggings or slimming running leggings. Its intelligent fabric will help you slim and firm your figure.