Myths of weight loss:

There are some popular misconceptions associated with weight loss. Before you actually start an exercise regimen, it's important to remove all pre-conceived notions. We have listed out some of the most popular ones:

Myth 1: Ab exercises flatten the stomach.

Fact: Ab exercises only tone and firm the lower layers of stomach muscle. If you happen to have layers of fat above, it won't make any difference. Therefore do aerobic exercises to shed the fat.

Myth 2: Drinking water before exercise is harmful.

Fact: Water is essential to replenish fluids lost during strenuous exercise. Therefore, drink water in equal amounts.

Myth 3: Eliminating fats helps shed weight faster.

Fact: Fats in small amounts can help you feel fuller during the day. This avoids binging.

Myth 4: High protein, low carb diets burn fat faster.

Fact: Ingesting too much protein can result in high fat and cholesterol levels in the body. Too many carbohydrates in the diet can result in the formation of Ketones which lead to kidney stones. The trick lies in a balanced diet.

Myth 5: One can lose weight no matter what one eats.

Fact: Not watching what's eaten can lead to alarming weight increases

Myth 6: Skipping meals burns fat quickly.

Fact: When you skip meals, your body goes into a conservation mode where its metabolic rate starts dipping, resulting in weight gains.

Myth 7: Weight training doesn't shed weight.

Fact: Weight training can actually be a great way to lose weight in a short time span.

Myth 8: Consuming nuts and dairy products can be fattening.

Fact: If taken in small doses, nuts can actually be good for health.

Myth 9: Counting calories isn't really necessary.

Fact: It is absolutely necessary to keep track of everything you eat "" right from sugar to tea or even snacks.

Myth 10: Salads are a great health snack.

Fact: Yes salads are great but not with the fatty dressing.

Cardio to help shed fat It has been clinically proven that cardio exercise is your one and only ticket to effective and quick fat loss. Cardio exercises involve any form of exercise that raises heart rate to higher levels. Especially when it comes to fat loss goals, the higher the intensity, the greater the chances of your slimming down quicker!

Why high intensity cardio is so great There are many reasons why cardio helps shed weight fast:

- High intensity cardio rapidly raises your metabolic rate - This increased metabolic rate remains at the same rate even after exercise - Increases lean muscle mass which contributes to increased resting metabolic levels

Other benefits include:

- Greater lung strength

- Strengthens your heart

- Improves blood circulation.

Timing and its impact The best time of the day for any cardio exercise is early in the morning, before you've had any breakfast. This is because in the morning hours, muscle and liver glycogen levels are really low. This means that with lower blood sugar levels, your chances at burning fat at this time is much more than later in the day.

Top 5 cardio exercises to shed fat If you think a 30 minute morning walk at moderate pace will help, then you're wrong. While it certainly will help you lose more calories over a period of time, if you're looking for fat loss - you need something extra!

1.Jump rope: On an average if you jump rope for 15 minutes you burn 174 calories!

2.Swimming: The forward crawl stroke seems to burn fat the best and it's also non-impact.

3.Sprinting: It will burn tons of calories, beats fat like none other and reduces stress and tension in the body.

4.Step aerobics: Burns a whopping 400 calories in a 30 minute time span.

5.Cycling: It exhausts carbohydrate reserves in the body resulting in enhanced metabolic rates.