Why We Can Eat Carbs …And Fat Will Not Make Us Fat

Annie Deadman has a few fat loss myths she wants to bust

- Annie Deadman

Hello! When Woman asked me to write about weight loss myths, I was very excited and punched the air. How naïve of me, however, to think that in 900 words I could turn around years of falsehoods that have misled us for decades. But I’ll give it a go. In my capacity both as a health and fitness coach and as a mid-lifer with annoying bra back-fat, I’m going to lead you through the maze. In no particular order…

MYTH 1

FAT MAKES US FAT

It doesn’t. All food makes us fat if we eat more than our body needs. It’s an old adage from the 90s when everyone was obsessed with low-fat foods. Fat is vital, especially EFA (essential fatty acids), which we can only get from food. They help us absorb vitamins, regulate hormones and support our immune function. Oily fish, avocados, olive oil, nuts and seeds aplenty.

MYTH 2

CARBOHYDRATES ARE BAD

Essential more like! Our muscles and brain can’t function without them. The word carbohydrate covers many foods: there’s fruit and veg, vital for vitamin and mineral content. There’s oats, bread, pasta and rice, good fuel to give us energy. Then there’s those tempting little choccy flapjack thingys which… erm… feed our emotions. Choose wisely.

MYTH 3

THE MORE CRUNCHES I DO, THE LESS FAT I’LL HAVE ON MY STOMACH

I am often quoted this. If you read nothing else in this article, please tattoo this one on your mind. Losing fat (not the same as weight, see point 14) is a matter of eating fewer and better calories. Yes, 200 reps a day will give you good, strong abs but if you’re eating too much, the fat will still be on top. Brutal I know. But true.