Dundalk personal trainer Aaron Smyth on his top ten fitness must knows

Personal Trainer Aaron Smyth from Dundalk takes a look at the top ten fitness and nutrition myths and separates the fact from the fiction.  

MYTH #1 
Red meat does not rot in your digestive tract. Nothing “sits” in your gut. It is a constant conveyor belt for the food you eat. It speeds up and slows down in relation to the volume of food you eat.

The myth that meat hangs around in you gut more so than other foods stems from the fact that higher protein diets can result in leftover ammonia which in turn has to be cleared out by the body. This uses more water, which in turn if you don’t hydrate enough can cause constipation.

MYTH #2
Sleep matters more than you think when it comes to how it affects our eating and fat loss results.  Studies have shown a 25% increase in hunger levels and 32% increase in appetite for highly processed foods (junk foods) with just 2 nights of restricted sleep. (4 hours VS 10 hours)

MYTH #3
Animal foods are often more nutrient dense than plant foods.

MYTH #4
Fat does not make you fat (context matters). Overconsumption of calories causes weight gain.

MYTH #5
Carbs do not make you fat (context matters). Overconsumption of calories causes weight gain.

MYTH #6
Most studies reported by the media about nutrition are observational and cannot prove cause and effect, though that’s how most interpret it.

MYTH #7
Sugar does not make you fat (Overconsumption of calories causes weight gain). Sugar consumption has gone down since 1980’s yet obesity is on the rise. Ireland is #11 in the WHO (world health organisation) in world obesity levels.
If we continue at this rate Ireland is set to be the most obese country in Europe by 2030 (according to WHO stats).

MYTH #8
Egg yolks are not bad for you. Egg yolks contain vitamin A, D, E and K and Omega-3 fatty acids. It also contains Choline. Choline is in the B vitamin family and part of the brains messaging system.

It’s critical for the production of neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine, that play a key role in memory, cognition, and muscle control.

Choline is involved in transporting fat and cholesterol away from the liver to tissues that need them.

MYTH #9
There is no perfect diet. Tailor your diet to your goals but more importantly, your likes/dislikes. Find an eating pattern that you can enjoy long-term.

Everything works once you stick to it... so find something you can stick to.

MYTH #10
Don’t eat more calories per day, than you expend! The law of thermodynamics - calories in VS calories out is the number one factor in your ability to lose or gain weight.

Aaron Smyth is a personal trainer based in Blackrock who runs The Fit Life YouTube channel. You can avail of his one-to-one, group and online training services by contacting him at: www.aaronsmythpt.com
Instagram: @Thebodysmyth Youtube: @Thefitlife Facebook: @Theaaronsmyth