When you’re on a fitness journey, it’s easy to get caught up in the details. From obsessively tracking protein and worrying about when you eat dinner to cutting out carbs in the hope of losing weight faster, there’s no shortage of rules and trends telling you what you should and shouldn’t do. But fitness doesn’t have to be a rigid checklist. Often, sticking to the basics, finding an approach you can actually maintain and staying consistent can take you much further than stressing over every little detail.
Chennai-based fitness coach Raj Ganpath, who has more than 18 years of experience, is the founder of the Slow Burn Method, co-founder and head coach at Quad Fitness, and author of Simple, Not Easy, is breaking down three commonly hyped fitness beliefs that, according to him, may not matter as much as people think. In an Instagram video shared on September 16, the fitness coach states, “Here are three fitness things people tend to make a big deal of, but I don’t think it really matters.”
Eating close to bedtime
Eating a large meal close to bedtime is often discouraged, but Raj highlights that this doesn’t mean you need to finish dinner at 6 pm just because you plan to go to bed at 10 pm. There’s no need to be overly rigid about your dinner schedule; a little flexibility is perfectly fine. The key is to avoid having a heavy, oversized meal right before you hit the hay, allowing your body some time to digest before bedtime.
The fitness coach explains, “If you’re eating a mild to moderate meal about an hour before bed, that’s absolutely fine. Life is hard for most people, and through the day they’re busy. Dinner is the time they get to sit, relax, and eat. And if that means you eat at about nine and go to bed at 10, that’s absolutely fine. As long as your total calories and your total macros are under control, there is nothing to worry about.”
Not hitting protein goals every day
While your body needs an adequate amount of protein every day, Raj points out that there’s no need to obsess over hitting an exact number at every meal. Instead, he recommends keeping things simple by including some form of protein in each meal. Following this basic approach can help you build a more consistent diet without getting caught up in constantly counting every calorie.
He highlights, “Your body does extremely well in a huge buffer. What you need is about one to 1.75 g per kilo of body weight of protein on a daily basis. As long as you’re somewhere there, your body deals with it really well. You don’t have to be obsessive about hitting the exact number of protein grams every single day.”
Eating carbs in every meal
Many people trying to lose weight assume that cutting out carbohydrates completely will make the process faster or more effective. As a result, carbs often come with unnecessary guilt and overthinking. However, Raj points out that carbohydrates are one of the body’s three major macronutrients. Rather than cutting them out entirely, he recommends focusing on portion control and overall dietary balance.
The fitness coach notes, “They’re one of the three macronutrients along with protein and fat. And our body loves carbs. We use it for energy. We use it for nutrients. And no, they do not make us gain fat unless we’re in a calorie surplus. So, if you want to eat carbs with just one meal, that’s fine. If you want to eat carbs with every meal, that’s absolutely fine, too. Just make sure you don’t overeat them.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
Raj Ganpath is a Chennai-based fitness and nutrition coach, entrepreneur and mentor with over 18 years of experience. He is the founder of the Slow Burn Method, co-founder and head coach at Quad Fitness, and the author of Simple, Not Easy. Known for simplifying complex fitness and nutrition concepts, Raj helps people build practical, sustainable habits that support long-term health and weight loss.
