10 most popular myths about weight loss and the facts behind them
First of all let me clear you that what a myth is.
Myth is “a usual traditional belief, concept or story involving supernatural events or thoughts”.
There are a lot of advises and suggestions about weight loss that people give to each other in daily life. These unproven concepts and beliefs lead people to destroy their Nutritional status just because of their carelessness and negligence.
- Eat less, work more
It’s a very common saying that burn more calories than you take in . This means that if you want to loss weight, you will have to take less calories as compared to calories you expend.
The energy we get from food is not just only used in performing physical works rather it is utilized in our body for different purposes i.e; as basal metabolic rate, thermic effect of food, physical activities, thermogenesis, etc.
So, if you eat less and work more in order to loss weight, it will just cause a temporary reduction in your weight. This advise only work if you bring a permanent change in your life style. A major and sustained change in perspective and behavior is needed to lose weight with diet and exercise.
Fact: Advising people with weight problems to eat less and work more is mostly ineffective in long term weight reduction strategies.
2. Carbs make you fat
Low-carb-diets help in weight loss. This concept means that eating simple carbohydrates like sugars and starchy foods in less quantity will lead to weight loss. Whole grain foods high in carbs and fiber cause weight reduction by regulating digestion and bowl movement from G.I. tract.
Fact: Eaten in the right quantities and as part of a balanced diet, carbohydrates will not lead to weight gain.
3. Obesity is not genetic rather it is just about will-power
IT is not fair to say that obesity is only about willpower of a person but it is also due to genetic factors.
Actually obesity depends upon more than one factor including genetic, environmental and biological factors and various medical conditions, such as hypothyroidism, PCOS, and depression, can increase your risk of weight gain.
There are many hormones and biological pathways in our body that plays a role in weight gain. For example leptin resistance is the major cause of weight gain in many people. It is a hormone that signals our brain that there is no need of more fat stores in body and then our body does not starve.
So, it does not mean that we should stop trying and stop work to lose weight rather it is possible to eliminate obesity by a proper diet and physical work. It is difficult but never impossible.
Fact: Losing weight is not just about willpower. It depends upon different factors including inheritance.
4. Skipping breakfast leads you weight lose
It is a very common belief of many people that weight can be reduced by skipping breakfast. It is a totally unproven belief. Studies show that breakfast skippers tend to weigh more than breakfast eaters.
Many studies have also revealed that eating breakfast does not even affect your weight. It’s also a myth that breakfast boosts metabolism and that eating multiple small meals makes you burn more calories throughout the day.
So, it is best to eat when you feel hungry and stop eating when you feel your stomach is about to full. Eat breakfast having good good choices, but don’t expect it to have a major effect on your weight.
Fact: While it is true that breakfast skippers tend to weigh more than breakfast eaters, but studies show that eating breakfast do not affect weight gain or weight loss.
5. Fats always make you fat
Fat is a very dense source of energy. It provides around 9 calories per gram of fat, which is more than 4 calories from carbs or proteins.
A small amount of fat is an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet. We should choose foods with “good” unsaturated fats, limit foods high in saturated fat, and avoid “bad” fat. Foods high in good fats include vegetable oils (such as olive, canola, sunflower, soy, and corn), nuts, seeds, and fish.
So, we cannot totally exclude fats and oils from our diet because these macro-nutrients are greatly involved in many biological functions and processes like cushioning body’s vital organs, insulating, supporting cell growth, keeps cholesterol and blood pressure under control, and helps your body absorb vital nutrients.
Fact: Fat alone does not cause obesity. We should use fats and oils in appropriate quantities so that our body’s needs should also be fulfilled without making us over weight.
6. Using Supplements is easiest way to lose weight
There are so many companies claiming that their weight loss supplements help the body burn fat. But, in reality, these supplements are either ineffective or dangerous for body. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) claimed that fat burning supplements have many hidden components that cause other side effects.
However a few supplements have a modest effect on weight loss. The best ones may help you shed a small amount of weight over several months.
Fact: Most of the weight loss pills are ineffective and have other side effects. However a few best one can help your body burn fat over a long period of time.
7. Fasting help in losing weight quickly
Now a day fasting for weight loss is capturing people’s attention.
Peoples on fasting are restricted to take only water and juices and sometime laxatives. Some diet plans may include a few solid foods but still these diets provide so much low calories to fulfill their energy needs.
When you dramatically reduce your caloric intake, it will obviously reduce your weight. But keep in mind that this initial weight loss is just your water weight, not fats. Fasting can also reduce your lean mass making your nutritional status low. Further when you do fasting your body start conserving calories and body’s metabolism will also slow down to a great extent. And when you go back to normal routine, not only do most people regain weight lost on a fast, but also they tend to add a few extra pounds because of a slower metabolism.
Fact: Fasting is not recommended to lose weight. People should less their caloric intake to a bearable extent that helps them to loss fat weight.
8. Snacking restriction
Snack is a small sized food eaten between two major meals. Many people having an active lifestyle need a snack to maintain their energy level.
However it is a very common myth that snacking makes you gain more weight. It is just about our food choices. Not all snacks are fattening rather some make you gain your ideal weight more effectively. People gain weight when they take unhealthy food choices for snacks like chocolates, potato chip, bakery items, pizzas etc.
Healthy snacks include fruits, vegetables, Whole grain bread, crackers, cereals, nuts and seeds. So it is just about our food choices not all snacks are fattening but some make you gain your ideal weight.
Fact: Eating frequency, particularly in regard to a pattern of three meals and two snacks per day, may be important in weight loss maintenance.
9. Calories from all food groups are same
The word “calorie” is used to represent energy. It is simply a unit used to measure energy. However, the origin of a calorie determines how the body digests and stores that energy.
For example, replacing carbs and fats with proteins can boost up metabolism and reduce cravings and appetite. Proteins also optimize the functions of weight regulating hormones.
Also replacing whole grain carbohydrates with simple sugar and starches can make you overweight.
Fact: Different calorie sources have different ways of metabolism in body. So always choose best food choices for weight management and health.
10. Intense exercise regimes
The best way to lose weight is through combining a nutritious, low-calorie diet with regular physical activity. Not everyone needs to do extensive workouts and exercises to lose weight. Just by increasing your physical activity can loss your weight to a normal level.
Some good exercises include walking, swimming, running, squats, lunges, push-ups, and many more others.
Fact: Doing hard exercises make you unable to perform at the same level and you need longer periods of time to rest. So people should perform normal exercises to be active for a long period of time.
