Weight Loss Myths

by: Healthy Living Supplements LLC

The weight loss industry is riddled with self-perpetuating myths, misconceptions, and downright mistruths.  These weight loss myths and diet pill myths tend to derail people when they try to lose weight.  Here are some of the most common myths with our comments to help you understand why they are myths so that you can avoid and ignore them while developing your weight loss plan.

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You must lose a large amount of weight to have a significant health benefit.  Not True!  Small weight loss changes can have a major impact on both your quality of life and health.  A four year study was published by the AMA in which overweight women who lost as few as five pounds completed everyday activities more easily and complained of fewer aches and pains.  It seems that the obese are affected the most.  A 12-year study published by the International Obesity Task Force showed that weight loss of only 10 to 20 pounds among overweight women with obesity-related diseases led to a 50% reduction in obesity-related cancer mortality, a 40% reduction in diabetes-related deaths and a 20% drop in total mortality.  It also improved these women's anxiety, mood control and quality of life.

Fad diets result in permanent weight loss.  Not True!  Fad diets may result in you losing weight at first but they are definitely not the best way to achieve permanent weight loss.  Fad diets often promise quick weight loss but diets that strictly limit calories or your choice of foods are hard to follow and are generally unhealthy because they may not provide all of the nutrients your body needs on a daily basis.  Also, losing weight at more than 3 pounds a week after several weeks of dieting, is not good for you.  Researchers suggest that losing 1 to 2 pounds a week through healthy food choices, eating moderate food portions, and building physical activity into your lifestyle, are the best ways to lose weight and keep it off.  Of course, using The Ultimate Diet Formula ™ will also make it much easier to achieve permanent weight loss.

Calories don’t count.  Not True!  To achieve weight loss, you need to burn more calories than you eat.  It is possible to eat any kind of food you want and lose weight.  But you need to limit the number of calories you eat every day and/or increase your daily physical activity.  Depriving yourself of pleasure isn't fun, and it doesn't work.  There's something called the abstinence violation effect which says that if you insist on completely avoiding something, human nature makes it likely that you'll break your resolution.  When trying to lose weight, you can still eat your favorite foods, as long as you pay attention to the total number of calories that you eat.  To take weight off, and keep it off permanently, gradually change your diet habits.  The brain often does not perceive small changes, and you start getting used to it.  A calorie is still a calorie whether it’s protein, fat, or sugar.  However certain foods are denser than others.  This means that each ounce contains more calories.  Although the calories per ounce are the same in both carbohydrates and protein, fat has twice as many calories, so fat calories add up twice as fast.  In addition, if you cut back too hard on calories, the body goes into starvation mode in which your metabolism, which is the rate at which the body's calorie-burning machinery works, switches into low gear.  This actually decreases your ability to achieve weight loss.  This is one of the most misunderstood weight loss myths.

You can't lose a lot of weight and keep it off.  Not True!  The media, Congressional hearings and diet books have for many years bred hopelessness among dieters by quoting the statistic that 95% of people who lose weight regain it, and then some, within a few months or years.  That figure is based on a 1959 study of only 100 people and is no basis for such a disparaging untruth.  True, it is difficult to keep it off but with new diet pills like The Ultimate Diet Formula ™, it is easier than ever to lose weight and keep it off.

Low fat or no fat means no calories.  Not True!  Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories but other low fat or no fat foods frequently have lots of calories.  Often these foods will have extra sugar, or flour thickeners to make them taste better after the fat is removed which adds unwanted calories and defeats the low fat objective.  Another problem is that many people tend to overeat foods billed as low fat or fat-free, leading paradoxically to extra pounds.  Research by the American Medical Association confirms that reducing fat intake is only effective if we reduce calories as well.

Burning fat demands intense exercise.  Not True!  Most any exercise burns fat.  According to most physiologists, increasing your activity level up a notch or two can make you lose an additional pound per week.  Walking, chopping wood, mowing the lawn, and cleaning the garage are some examples of added activities you can add on to your daily routine.  In addition, new herbal formulations, such as The Ultimate Diet Formula ™, are now available that help you burn fat naturally.

You have to join a health club to lose weight.  Not True!  Research indicates that 30 minutes per day of moderate physical activity is all it takes to balance healthy food intake.  It doesn’t have to be strenuous exercise.  Walking is an excellent exercise that raises your metabolism and helps to turn your body into an effective fat burning machine, which will cause you to burn fat during the whole day.  However, whether you eat less or exercise more, for every 3,500 calories you burn beyond what you eat, you'll lose a pound of weight.

Aerobic exercise is better than strength building exercises.  It Depends!  You will burn fat during an aerobic exercise, however the benefits from aerobics end shortly after exercising.  Strength training on the other hand keeps your metabolism alive long after the workout is over.  And muscle burns more calories than body fat.  So if you have more muscle, you burn more calories, even sitting still.  Both are good for you.  And exercise is one of the few things that can provide a dramatic boost to your weight loss program immediately.

Skipping meals will make you skinny.  Not True!  You will be hungry and eat more later.  If you want to lose a pound a week, you've got to consume almost 500 calories a day less than what you burn.  It has been shown that people who skip their morning meal and eat fewer times during a day are heavier than people who eat a healthy morning meal and at least three meals a day.  This is so since people who skip meals feel hungrier later on and generally eat more than they normally would.  Also eating many small meals during the day helps many people harness their appetites easier.

Portion size isn’t important.  Not True!  You can gain weight by eating too much of anything, even fruit, so moderation is a key to weight loss!  Too many calories in and too few out, and you'll gain weight, no matter what form the calories come in.  So when eating out, order a small portion, split an order with a friend, or immediately ask for that “doggie bag” and take home half for another meal.  And when you set your table at home use smaller dishes.  Studies have shown that 7 out of 10 people on a weight loss program felt more satisfied with less food when it was served on a salad plate instead of a regular size dinner plate.

Eating at night is bad for you.  Not True!  It’s not what time you eat; it’s what you eat!  Calories don't know what time of day it is.  It is what and how much you eat that determines whether you gain, lose, or maintain your weight.  No matter when you eat, your body will store extra calories as fat.  There is nothing magical about when calories go into your body or how they are processed.  It's really about how many calories or energy goes in over 24 hours versus how much energy is consumed and burned up over 24 hours.

Dairy products are bad for you.  It Depends!  Low fat and fat-free milk, yogurt, and cheese are just as nutritious as whole milk dairy products, but they are lower in fat and calories.  Dairy products have many nutrients your body requires to prosper.  They offer protein to build muscles and help organs work properly, and calcium to strengthen bones.  Eating a lot of dairy foods high in saturated fat, like butter and margarine, has been linked to high blood cholesterol levels and a greater risk of heart disease.  Some research suggests that high amounts of "trans fats" found in some forms of margarine, can also cause high blood cholesterol levels.  Dairy foods high in fat, like butter and margarine, should be used in small amounts.

Carbohydrates are bad for you.  It Depends!  Carbohydrates are required if you want a balanced diet.  Calories, not carbohydrates, make you fat.  Often it is the fat and sugar contained in high carbohydrate foods that makes you fat.  With processed carbohydrates you lack the feeling of fullness that you get from unprocessed complex carbohydrates containing fiber.  As an example, whole grain rice is more filling, aids digestion, and makes you feel satisfied longer, than white rice, even though they both have an equal quantity of calories.  Here again, moderation and portion control are the keys.

Fats are bad for you.  It Depends!  The truth is that some fats are unhealthy, and some are good, actually necessary, for your health.  Thus the term, “essential fatty acids”!  Fats do provide a  sense of fullness and although fats are twice as fattening as carbohydrates and protein, you don’t want to completely avoid them.  It has been shown that fat gives you a sense of fullness and adds desirable flavors to many foods.  Removing fat from your diet will increase your hunger.  Fat prevents your stomach from emptying out too quickly thereby keeping you fuller longer.  Mono-unsaturated fats are the good fats.  Olive oil and canola oil are both mono-unsaturated and are thought to lower cholesterol.  In general, saturated fats are bad because they clog your arteries.

Snacks are bad for you.  It Depends!  Eating the right kinds of snacks between meals helps level your blood sugar, keeps your metabolism going strong, and helps to prevent you from overeating at your next meal.  Fruits and vegetables are the best kind of snacks.  Nuts and cheese, which contain protein, are also OK in small amounts because they leave you feeling full for a longer time.  Although nuts are high in calories and fat, most nuts contain healthy fats that do not clog arteries.  Beware of granola and energy bars.  They're like candy bars using an alias.  Again moderation is the key.

Red meat is bad for you.  Not True!  Eating lean meat in small amounts can be part of a healthy weight loss plan.  Red meat, pork, chicken, and fish contain some cholesterol and saturated fat, which is the least healthy kind of fat, but they also contain healthy nutrients.  Trim all visible fat before cooking and only buy “select” grades of red meat.  And don’t forget to eat small portions.

Fish is bad for you.  Not True!  Turkey, chicken, pork, and beef contain more cholesterol and saturated fat than most types of fish.  And those types of fish that are higher in cholesterol and saturated fat are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are linked to a lower risk of heart disease.  Examples include anchovies, mackerel, salmon, and sardines.  A healthy weight loss plan should include baked, broiled, or grilled fish instead of fried fish.

Desserts are bad for you.  Not True!  Don’t deprive yourself of sweets if you like them.  Deprivation is the downfall of most weight loss plans.  You can have a small portion of dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth and still stick to your diet.  You just don’t want to eat that large portion that you used to eat regularly.  Food is pleasurable for many people.  So, treat yourself but don’t overindulge.

Starches are bad for you.  Not True!  Many foods that are high in starch, like white rice, bread, pasta, beans, cereals, fruits, and certain vegetables are low in fat and calories.  When eaten in large portion sizes or when covered with high fat toppings they become high in calories.  These foods with high complex carbohydrates are an important source of energy for your body.  They are the fastest-burning foods you can eat and provide the body's main source of ready-to-use fuel.

 

Read our next Healthy Living Article - - Weight Loss Secrets.

About The Author:  Healthy Living Supplements LLC is a dietary supplement company committed to providing consumers with the most effective high quality scientifically advanced formulas available today.  Through their Ultimate Healthy Living newsletter and articles like this, their customers receive the most timely, accurate, and up-to-date information on healthy living and nutritional supplements.  They are dedicated to supporting healthy living with natural non-prescription products that promote the well-being, youthful appearance, and long life of their customers while helping them to look, feel and be their healthiest best.  Their website is located at Healthy Living Supplements™ | The Ultimate in Quality Dietary Supplements and their newest product can also be found at The Ultimate Diet Formula ™ Weight Loss Diet Pill.