Inquisitive.me

I was standing in line at the cash register the other day, and as usual, most people were on their phones. I’m not someone who pulls out my phone to kill time—I choose not to be that person. But that day, I kind of wish I had, because what I saw made my blood boil.

Out of boredom, my eyes wandered to the usual boulevard newspapers. I normally ignore them—I couldn’t care less. But this time, a headline caught my attention and immediately triggered me:

“Get lean with this miraculous tea overnight”

“Finally lean”

That was enough. I didn’t even need to read more.

As a physiotherapist, I hear questions about weight loss almost daily—how to get lean, how much cardio to do, which exercises burn belly fat the fastest. So when I see headlines like this, it frustrates me deeply. They sell the fantasy of effortless results and quick fixes that simply don’t work. Worse, they feed into unhealthy beliefs that are already so deeply ingrained, especially in women.

Many of my female patients aren’t looking to get strong or build muscle—they’re focused on shrinking. Some of them are already beautiful, with perfectly healthy bodies, and yet they still struggle with how they look, how much they weigh, or how “toned” they feel.

The truth is, a lot of people are stuck in a harmful cycle of yo-yo dieting. They lose weight, gain it back, repeat the process, and unknowingly damage their bodies along the way.

Here’s why that’s a problem:

Every time you start a diet without incorporating proper exercise, like strength training (not just cardio), your body ends up losing muscle mass. Muscles require more energy to maintain, so when you’re not fueling your body properly, it starts shedding the most energy-hungry tissue – muscle. And since you’re not doing strength training, your body figures, “Why keep muscle if it’s not being used?”

Fat tissue costs your body less energy to maintain, can release some energy when needed, and provides insulation. But here’s the issue: every time you diet without exercise, you lose muscle mass, and then the Yo-Yo effect kicks in, causing you to gain fat mass instead. So, in the process, you’re sacrificing essential muscle mass – which is crucial for longevity and maintaining independence as we age – and replacing it with fat mass, which isn’t beneficial.

That’s not just an aesthetic problem. It’s a long-term health issue.

Visceral fat—especially the kind that accumulates around your organs—releases inflammatory messengers called adipokines. These can lead to chronic inflammation and pain, especially in your joints. Muscle, on the other hand, produces myokines during exercise—natural anti-inflammatory messengers that help your body heal and stay balanced.

So while diet culture tells you to shrink, skip meals, and chase quick fixes, I’ll tell you what I tell my patients:

Focus on building strength.

Because strength protects your joints, supports your metabolism, improves your posture, and gives you the independence and vitality you’ll need as you age.

No, you won’t get bulky. Especially if you have body fat to lose, you’re not going to “accidentally” look like She-Hulk. That takes years of dedicated training, calorie surplus, and often… other factors.

What works?

• A consistent strength training routine
• Enough fuel to support your body
• Patience and a long-term mindset

Sure, you could try that “miracle tea” and hope for the best. But let’s be honest—you’re more likely to win the lottery. And you wouldn’t make retirement plans around that, would you?

🧪 Let’s Experiment

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Don’t fall for quick-fix weight loss scams.

These flashy ads and miracle products only profit from your frustration, not your health. You didn’t gain weight overnight, so don’t expect it to vanish in weeks without effort.

🎯 Try This:

Focus on reducing your calorie intake with guidance from a dietitian or coach, and add consistent strength training to your routine. Remember, the scale can go up at first because muscle weighs more than fat—and that’s a good thing!

Keep in mind: your scale only measures mass. It doesn’t distinguish between fat, muscle, or water.

🧠 Final Thought:

Healthy fat loss takes time and patience. Aim for the long-term, not short-term miracles. But you are allowed to embrace your body, curves and all, because you are beautiful exactly as you are.

Get strong, not lean.

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Keep it simple, stay curious, and keep learning—you’ve got this.

Take care,

Carina 🦊