TOP 10 WEIGHT LOSD MYTHS
Top 10 Weight Loss Myths -
Don't Fall Victim to Them
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Weight loss myths are everywhere you look and they can be
detrimental to your health as well as the goals you have set
for yourself.
It is necessary to take the ideas you have about losing
weight and turn them on their side. Put your knowledge to
the test. Don't fall victim to information that is hazardous to
your health.
The sad truth is that Americans are getting heavier all of the
time. This is as true of adults as it is of the youth of today.
As well, those who are already heavy are getting even
heavier.
According to a CDC National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey, the number of obese adults has
doubled in the past 30 years. It has gone from 15 percent in
the late 1970s to an estimated 31 percent today. This is
frightening.
How many Americans can be defined as being overweight or
obese?
Approximately 64 percent of Americans weigh far too much.
This works out to be 129.6 million people. According to the
2001 Surgeon General's Call to Action on Prevent and
Decrease Overweight and Obesity, the direct and indirect
costs of obesity to society at large, which takes into account
lost productivity at work and medical costs was estimated at
a national level to be $117 billion in the year 2000.
What can you do? Read on for the weight loss myths that
can sabotage your efforts.
1. Cutting down tremendously on calories
means that the pounds will drop off quicker.
This is not the case! If you consume too few calories you will
actually send your body into a tailspin that can contribute to
weight gain as opposed to weight loss. You will end up in a
mode of starvation.
If a message is sent to your brain that you do not have
enough to eat and are starving, this will cause your
metabolism to slow down a great deal. This does not
facilitate weight loss at all.
According to weight loss experts, diets that are as low as
800 to 1,000 calories per day are dangerous, unhealthy and
will lead to weight loss failure. If your body thinks it is
suffering from a famine, then it immediately kicks into gear
to protect you and will not make it easy to get rid of excess
weight.
If you starve yourself then you can experience plenty of
unfavorable side effects such as lightheadedness, nausea
and problems concentrating. As well, eventually you will
have to give your body what it needs and it is likely that you
will end up overeating to compensate for starving it before.
Don't do this to yourself!
2. Being strict and depriving myself of foods is
good.
If you choose a strict diet that severely limits the foods you
eat, such as eliminating one or more food groups or mainly
eating only one or two foods, this will bore you and you will
lose interest in the diet before too long. The body likes
variety and so do your taste buds. This is also unhealthy as
your body needs a number of different vitamins, minerals
and nutrients and it can only get these from a variety of
food choices.
Don't limit yourself to the point of ridiculousness. This is not
an effective means of losing weight and it will not work.
Allow yourself to have dessert occasionally if it is what you
desire. Just make sure you have a small piece of pie or cake
or one scoop of ice cream, not two. Deprivation will get you
nowhere.
3. Say goodbye to all foods that are not deemed
as healthy.
This myth is an extension of number two. If you stop eating
EVERY unhealthy food that you enjoy, you will be able to
shed pounds easier and quicker. This is untrue. You will still
remain motivated and on track if you allow yourself to eat
an unhealthy favorite food once in awhile.
Moderation is the key to losing weight and to keeping it off
in the long term. If you enjoy pizza or a burger from
McDonald's then partake of these pleasures now and again
and don't allow yourself to feel guilty. You are less likely to
fall off the horse so to speak or to binge if you give yourself
permission to enjoy “fun foods” when the mood strikes.
4. Eating foods late at night is more likely to
pack on the pounds.
This is a common myth that is believed by many. The truth
is that if you consume more calories on a daily basis then
your body requires, the excess will be stored as fat. The
opposite is also the case -- if you take in fewer calories than
you burn then you will shed pounds. For this reason, the
time of day you eat does not really matter so much as how
much you eat and how much you burn off through physical
activity.
According to health experts, you should never go to bed
hungry, as this will prevent you from having a sound sleep.
You are fasting while you sleep after all. That is what
breakfast the following morning- break the fast- is all about.
Eating something small and light, such as a few crackers and
some cheese can actually contribute to a more restful night's
sleep.
5. Eating between meals is a dieting no-no.
It is healthier to eat six or seven small meals and/or snacks
throughout the course of a day than to eat three meals and
nothing else. If you choose a small healthy snack between
meals it can actually do you good. The snack will contribute
to strong metabolism and it will keep your blood sugar at a
stable level. Snacking between meals in a healthy manner
also acts as a way to discourage you from overeating at your
next meal.
To feel fuller for a lengthier span of time, choose fiber-rich
foods such as bran muffins, oatmeal, whole-wheat toast,
mixed raw vegetables and sourdough pretzels. If you are not
getting enough fat in your diet this can mean your energy
levels will be low. To pump it up higher, snack on nuts such
as almonds which are an excellent source of protein.
Another healthy snack idea is to combine two snacks
together. For example, smear some peanut butter on an
apple. Keep in mind that the skin of the apple contains the
largest percentage of fiber. Graham crackers and yogurt
make for a very healthy snack as well.
Speaking of yogurt, this is a good dairy choice for those who
are not so crazy about drinking milk. Yogurt will make you
feel full and energized. Look for a brand that contains
probiotics such as L. acidophilus which is a live bacterial
culture that is instrumental in the maintenance of a healthy
digestive tract.
6. All fat is bad for my health and for my weight
loss efforts.
Fat gets a bad rap and it is bad- up to a certain point. Fat is
also good and necessary for the human body. Everyone
needs fat in his or her daily diet.
There are certain fats that are good for the body such as
monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. The former is
a healthy fat that provides protection against such things as
heart disease and a variety of cancers. Monounsaturated fat
is found in such things as olive oil, avocadoes, nuts, olives,
nut butters and canola oil. Olive oil is also instrumental in
lowering cholesterol. Polyunsaturated fat is necessary for the
growth of body cells and it also provides the fatty acids that
are needed for the health of the skin.
Another much talked about healthy fat is omega-3 fatty
acids, which are found in shellfish and other types of fish.
There are three types of omega-3 fats and the body requires
them all. These include ALA, DHA and EPA.
In particular DHA and EPA are very important for the healthy
functioning of the heart. They reduce inflammation in the
arteries; help to lower blood pressure by a small amount;
decrease the level of triglycerides in the blood; play a role in
keeping the walls of the arteries as relaxed as possible; and
help to make the composition of the blood less sticky,
thereby reducing the chance that a blood clot could take
place.
Other potential benefits of consuming an adequate supply of
omega-3 fats:
-May decrease the risk of breast cancer, prostate cancer and
colon cancer
-Can be useful in the treatment of Crohn's disease,
ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis
-Preliminary research studies point to the role this healthy
fat plays in treating depression.
To increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids include more
fish in your diet, as well as ground flaxseed and walnuts.
One healthy way to add more fat into your diet without
packing on pounds is to add a selection of nuts to your
salads and to sprinkle ground flaxseed on your yogurt. It is
also wise to sauté vegetables in olive oil as opposed to
vegetable oil.
7. Skipping meals, especially breakfast, will
help me in my fight to drop pounds.
Skipping meals can actually contribute to packing on more
pounds! This is not want you want at all! When you go
without eating a meal, your level of metabolism drops and
you become very hungry as a result of not eating. When you
eat again you will be inclined to eat too much. You will also
not meet the daily calorie requirement that is essential for
your good health (refer back to myth number one).
Breakfast is the worst meal of the day to skip. Your body
has fasted for many hours and upon rising it needs to be
refueled. Just as a car cannot run without gas, your body
cannot run without necessary fuel. Fuel for the body comes
from the foods we eat.
People who eat a healthy breakfast are less likely to overeat
later in the day. It is easier to lose weight, and to maintain a
healthy weight if you start every day with a healthy
breakfast.
The fuel that we need for our bodies to function properly
comes from glucose. Glucose is a simple form of sugar that
provides the body's primary source of fuel. The brain and
the central nervous system require glucose to do any type of
activity. If you do not give your body the glucose it requires
through the foods you consume then it will be forced to use
stored carbohydrates as an alternative fuel source.
What makes for a healthy breakfast?
To start your day off right, aim for one serving of protein
(which can be found in eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt and
peanut butter), two servings of fruit (which helps to give you
the recommended daily requirement of vitamins and
minerals and helps to prevent constipation) and three
servings of grain.
Oatmeal is a bulk dense food that is excellent for people who
are trying to lose weight. Oatmeal slows down the digestive
process and makes it possible for an individual to feel
satiated for a longer span of time. It is also important that
you get plenty of fiber at breakfast time as fiber helps keep
the digestive process running smoothly.
A nutritious breakfast does not have to be complicated to be
healthy. One suggestion that is simple and nutritious is two
slices of whole grain bread with a tablespoon of peanut
butter and a glass of orange juice. Another excellent meal
for breakfast is a bowl of oatmeal or a high fiber cereal, a
banana and a glass of low fat or skim milk.
8. Dairy products should be taken out of my
diet completely.
Dairy products are a necessary part of every person's diet
and should never be eliminated completely, even if you are
trying to lose weight. Instead of eliminating this important
food group choose low fat and non-fat kinds of dairy
products. This is especially the case for women who require
the calcium that is found in rich supply in dairy products.
Research has now revealed the fact that getting enough
calcium through the foods you eat and the beverages you
consume can actually encourage the shedding of pounds.
Drink up!
9. Willpower is the most important weapon in
the fight to loss weight.
It is a commonly held belief that when it comes to losing
weight and resisting the temptation to eat everything in
sight that it is simply a matter of willpower. While willpower
and a sense of self control, as well as discipline do play a
role in whether or not we are able to loss weight or not,
there are plenty of other factors at work as well.
What we weigh is based on a variety of factors, such as
genetics, the culture we live in, our home and work
environments, our lifestyle choices, our medical history, our
attitude towards food and the condition of our health,
including any health problems we have. If you leave
everything up to your willpower then you are likely to fail at
the weight loss game.
The good news in all of this is that eating a nutritious diet on
a consistent basis and regular exercise can help a person to
overcome the factors that may lean towards the negative
side of the spectrum.
10. The consumption of plenty of water on a
daily basis will help me lose pounds easily and
quickly.
The human body needs water on a regular basis to survive.
It needs a lot of it to replenish the amount that is lost daily.
However drinking water in and of itself will not lead to fast
and effective weight loss. Approximately 60 percent of a
person's weight is composed of water and muscles are made
up of 75 percent water.
If a person is attempting to lose pounds it is smart to start
drinking more water. If the person then experiences weight
loss the likely reason is because they have stopped drinking
sodas and juices that are high in calories and have instead
started to drink “Mother Nature's healthy cocktail.”
Water is very beneficial to the body in many ways. It should
be the drink you consume more than any other. Water
consumption is excellent for the digestive system and for
chronic fatigue, depression and allergies. Drinking plenty of
water suppresses the appetite and it improves muscle tone.
It also helps the kidneys and bowels to function more
properly. Constipation and diarrhea are less of a problem
when an individual drinks plenty of H2O.
You should aim for six to eight glasses of water per day. You
cannot drink too much water, as water is healthy for you no
matter how you look at it. Contrary to popular belief,
drinking enough water helps to prevent the body from
retaining water.
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