Fitness

Top 5 Weight Loss Myths Debunked

Having trouble losing weight? Today we debunk several weight loss myths and discover what the real deal is.

In the course of your weight loss adventure, it’s easy to Google “weight loss tips” and find out a whole lot of information on the best diet, exercise and even lifestyle change in order to reduce that number on the scales.

However, it is also easy to come across several weight loss myths that may even be the hindrance to losing weight.

Here are top 5 weight loss myths, debunked!

Myth #1: No more eating after six o’clock

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We often hear of the “before six diet” or “after six diet”, which recommends dieters not to eat after six in the evening. According to the myth, food consumption (especially those rich in carbohydrates) after six o’clock PM is the leading cause of weight gain.

Several experts stand to correct this myth. According to the author of Nutrition at Your Fingertips, Elisa Zeid, there is absolutely no evidence that if you eat after a certain time of the day, you will gain weight. She adds that it is also untrue that eating past a certain hour of the day helps you lose all those weight.

Myth, Debunked: If you have the urge to overeat at night, this may be an indication that you have not been eating right during the day.

If you tend to skip breakfast and eat only a little amount during lunch, it is likely that you will want to overindulge during dinner, and this is the real cause of weight gain. Again, it is the overeating, not the time of dinner that causes weight gain.

The best way to cope is to eat right quantities of food during the day, and try to eat at the same time every day.

Myth #2: Absolutely no eating of anything rich in carbohydrates!

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If you are dieting, there is no way you can eat anything that’s a minefield of carbs. Avoid pasta, bread, and rice, or you will surely balloon up, leaving all that exercising to waste.

Myth, Debunked: Carbohydrates are one of the body’s energy sources, but there are different types of carbohydrates. The ones you would want to avoid are processed carbs, such as white bread, white grains and sugars.

These are refined carbohydrates that contain very little nutrients. Instead of these bad carbs, try swapping them with healthy carbs such as brown rice, whole-wheat bread, whole grains and beans.

If you are pairing diet with exercise, the good carbs should never be off your list since they provide you with fuel for exercise. Carbohydrates are very useful, providing your body with energy as you burn the body fat you are desperate to get rid of.

Myth #3: Skipping meals will help you lose weight faster

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Most people skip meals or take only one meal a day to lose weight faster. The belief is that in order to lose weight, one should eat only enough just to meet or go under their caloric needs for the day.

Myth, Debunked: Skipping meals is one of the highest reasons for weight gain. Although some people believe that not eating meals actually help them to become lighter, it does the total opposite.

Skipping a meal leads you to gorge yourself on the next meal, and you tend to eat more than you actually should. Likewise, skipping meals on a regular basis leads your body to believe that you are going on starvation mode, so it slows down your metabolism and holds on to your body fats instead.

Be sure to eat a full breakfast in the morning to stop you from overeating on lunch and dinner.

Myth #4: Eating only healthy foods will help you lose weight

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All the junk food and fast food servings have taken a toll on your body and you now look similar to the Michelin Man. Thus, you find yourself swearing off junk food and starting to eat greener and healthier food choices.

But instead of losing weight, you are still gaining. What is going wrong?

Myth, Debunked: While it is ideal to eat right and incorporate every food group into your daily meals, it does not mean that you can eat as much as you like.

The right serving is still important. For example, you may be eating green salads the whole day, but if you drown the salad in dressing, then you may still end up with more calories than you actually want.

So while it is great that you are eating right, it may be worth looking into the portion control that you need to plan daily in order to lose weight. The ideal servings are: ¼ lean protein, ½ produce and ¼ whole grains.

Myth #5: Exercise is the only way to lose all your unwanted weight.

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Because you want to lose weight, you now find yourself exercising two hours every day. But how can exercising be a weight loss myth?

Myth, Debunked: All right, exercise is not bad at all – you need it for your body. However, too much exercise may wreak havoc on your diet. Running on the treadmill may be one of the best calorie burner, but experts say that you need to do more than that to lose weight.

According to the spokeswoman of the American Dietetic Association, Karen Ansel, weight loss is just a mere matter of calories consumed versus calories burned. If you exercise but still eat more than you should, then you may not see the right effects.

If you are gaining weight due to lack of restraint when it comes to eating, exercise may even lead you to eat even more – since it stimulates the appetite, which makes you feel hungrier faster than usual.

In order to lose weight while exercising and dieting, always follow portion controls and try to eat as foods such as vegetables, lean proteins and complex carbohydrates to ward off the hunger pangs caused by exercise.

To top off the diet and exercise combo, eat one banana or something else rich in potassium after your workout. Remember that discipline is still key – no amount of exercise can reverse the effects of a very bad diet.

Listed above are some weight loss myths that you may be following. There are many more myths out there, but these are the most popular ones. Now that you know the real deal, you can choose what to follow and what to ignore to help improve your chances of losing weight.

Cover photo: blogsmonitor.com

About the author

Justine R

On an eternal quest for happiness, Justine tries to lead a positive lifestyle by giving back to the universe and following natural approaches to parenting, health, food and beauty. When she's not on the beach, she keeps herself fit (and sane) by running and doing yoga.

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