Weight Loss Myths That Sabotage Our Progress

Weight Loss Myths That Sabotage Our Progress

There are five nutrition myths that can and do sabotage many of our weight loss goals. Here is what we know so far:

Myth #1 – Good weight loss programs need to be complicated, with special charts and graphs and calorie calorie cycling. Limiting what to eat and when to eat based on your specific metabolic type / blood type / birth stone / horoscope sign.

FACT: The simpler the program the better the results will be. The more restrictive the diet, the more likely you will fail. A bad weight loss plan will be complicated and hard to follow practically guaranteeing failure.

Myth #2 – You must deny yourself anything that tastes good. Weight loss comes from WHAT you eat, not HOW MUCH you eat. You must be in total control of what you eat.

FACT: As soon as you find a simple way to eat less calories you’ve won the battle, stressing over special ways to eat and special types of food to eat will NOT improve your weight loss. The bottom line is that to lose weight you simply MUST eat less calories than you burn off.

Myth #3 – Intermittent fasting is just another type of fad diet. Plus only young people can do it.

FACT: From 53-year-old doctors to professional fitness models, an amazing amount of people are switching to flexible intermittent fasting. There is a large amount of research to support intermittent fasting and show that it is effective for many people of all different ages and walks of life.

Myth #4 – There are special ‘fat burning hormones’ that are better than other nutrients for losing weight.

Fact: Protein really isn’t that special, fat is not bad, and carbohydrates are also okay to eat, even sugar! (moderation is the key.)

Myth #5 – If you don’t eat every two to three hours, you will lose muscle instead of fat.

FACT: As long as you follow a well designed workout plan, you will not lose muscle whether you miss a meal. or you miss an entire day of meals.

The bottom line is that weight loss does not have to be frustrating, complicated or involve secret combinations of foods. We just need to be “armed” with the truth and the desire to win.

1. Myth: Eat only grapefruit and you will lose weight.

Fact: Grapefruit is a nutritious fruit and can be a part of an overall healthy diet. The reason some people lose weight eating grapefruit is because it’s low in calories and high in fiber and water, which helps us feel full. Also, any food eaten to excess will cause us to gain weight.

2. Myth: Carbs are bad for you and should be avoided, especially if you want to lose weight.

Fact: First, carbs are everywhere in our environment — in grains, fruits and vegetables — so being carb-free would mean we would all starve; this is obviously not the answer to successful weight loss. Second, our brains need carbohydrates to function properly; they are essential for the central nervous system’s functioning and health. Third, fiber is a carbohydrate and fiber is essential for our digestive health. Finally, there are “good carbs” — fruits, vegetables and whole grains — which provide nutrients we need on a daily basis; these should be incorporated into our diets every