Wanting to Lose Weight For Good? Five Myths Busted

WANTING TO LOSE WEIGHT FOR GOOD? DON’T FALL FOR THESE MYTHS. 

With warmer weather coming and lifting many restrictions from the past year, some people may realize that they may want to drop some weight before venturing outside and socializing again.

But before embarking on this, consider that many of the drastic measures to lose weight or quick fixes are temporary and often result in weight regain when old habits return. What can help with weight loss? Here are the top five myths regarding weight loss. 

MYTH: Don’t eat after 8 pm (or whatever designated time you have heard).

TRUTH: While clocks and our daily routine help us know what time it is (along with the sunrise and sunset), our body doesn’t know if it is 7:00 pm or 8:00 pm, especially when we go to Daylight Saving Time or travel to different time zones. We are still able to digest food during sleep. There is no physiological reason to gain weight by eating at night or after a specific time of day. This cut-off time usually works for people because making a conscious decision to stop eating in the evening tends to reduce our overall calorie intake for the day. Many people eat most of their calories in the evening, once home, and are generally more accessible. However, time isn’t what does this. If we have eaten our calorie needs for the day by 4:00 pm, then any calories consumed after that will contribute to weight gain, whereas if we still haven’t reached our calorie needs for the day by 10:00 pm, we may have a small snack.

MYTH: Eat a low-fat diet.  

TRUTH: Low-fat foods are not necessarily lower-calorie and may have added sugar and sodium. Recommending a low-fat diet for weight loss is not based on current evidence; however, following a low-saturated-fat diet has been shown to have health benefits. Many foods contain healthy fat that has health benefits and can be part of a weight loss plan. Cold water fish such as salmon and tuna, nuts, seeds, and avocados are high in fat and should be included in a healthy diet, even when trying to lose weight. These types of foods help people trying to eat less, feel full and satisfied. Reducing animal fats, such as whole-fat dairy products and processed meats, is recommended since animal fat is saturated fat.

MYTH: Cut out white foods like pasta, bread, and potatoes.

TRUTH: It isn’t the food itself, but the amount, preparation methods, or what we eat in addition to these foods that contribute to weight. It isn’t the pasta that specifically contributes to weight gain but that most people eat several servings at a time. One cup of pasta is about two ounces or two servings of grain. Potatoes are a great source of vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Most people eat their potatoes with added fat, whether fried, with added butter, milk, or cream, and other toppings or mix-ins. Sunning bread is common when people attempt to lose weight, but whole-grain bread can be part of a healthy diet. Keeping the amount you consume in control (one piece rather than five) and controlling the amount of butter, olive oil, or other accompaniments is what people usually need to adjust.

MYTH: Mixing certain foods inhibit proper digestion and inhibit weight loss.  

TRUTH: The body is an efficient machine and can digest protein, carbohydrates, and fat at the same time. It can deal with fruit with your meal. Except for sugar and oil, all foods are a combination of carbohydrates, protein, or fat. Eating an apple with peanut butter or a pear with an ounce of cheese will help you feel fuller longer, and your digestion will be just fine.

MYTH: To lose weight, follow a low-calorie diet, around 1200 calories.

TRUTH: Many people believe that they need to restrict themselves to a 1200 – 1500 calorie diet to lose weight. Some people may have this small amount of calories recommended, but that is usually for a smaller person (low weight) and may not be active. Many people are surprised to find that they can still eat far more than that, depending on their height, weight, age, gender, and activity level. Find out how many calories you are consuming now by tracking your calories for a week, then cut back by 200-500 calories per day, making sure that you drink at least 1200-1400 calories. Cutting back a little is more sustainable and enjoyable than cutting back a lot temporarily.

No matter how you choose to lose weight, make short-term goals and minor changes. These will usually last longer than big-changes for a short time.