Losing weight can be a difficult task and is normally one of the top things in the majority of New Year’s Resolutions, but for most people this a task that will be dropped after a few months. Keeping up with a diet and exercise regime can be tough at times and is 100% worth it, but there are a number of myths that are associated with it that are causing people to stop chasing their goals. So what are the most common weight loss myths that are going around at the moment?
Weight loss myth 1 – Radical exercise regimes are the only way to lose weight
There is absolutely no truth in this, in fact losing weight successfully is more reliant on making smaller changes that you will manage to stick to for a longer period of time. For example, diving in headfirst to a 3 hour daily routine is going to show you less benefits in the long run than building up slowly from 15 minutes at a time to 3 hour routines as you will be more likely to give due to tiredness.
Weight loss myth 2 – Healthy food is expensive
It may seem that healthy food is more expensive when you are out doing your weekly shop, however if you try to just replace some ingredients in your normal meal plan with healthier alternatives you’ll probably find the your meals work out around the same price and in some cases even cheaper.
Weight loss myth 3 – You aren’t allowed carbs
A lot of people believe that carbs will make you pile on the pounds but when eaten as part of a balanced diet, carbs will not (on their own anyway) lead you into excessive weight gain. Wholegrain carbohydrates such as brown rice and wholemeal bread are perfect examples of things that you can eat when trying to lose weight.
Weight loss myth 4 – Starving yourself is the easiest way to lose weight
Crash diets such as starving yourself will give you some quick and short term weight loss, however they are very unlikely to result in long term weight loss and will, in a lot of cases, lead to longer term weight gain. The main issue with this is that it is too hard to maintain for long periods of time and forces your body to miss out on the vitamins and minerals that it needs, causing you to have low energy levels and cravings for high fat and high sugar content foods.
Weight loss myth 5 – Certain foods can speed up your metabolism
Your metabolism is the way to describe the chemical processes that happen naturally within your body to keep you and your organs functioning normally, but most people associate metabolism with the process of digesting food. Everyone’s metabolism is different and it is claimed that certain foods and drinks can actually increase your metabolism and allow you to digest food and burn calories at a much quicker rate, though there is very little scientific evidence that can back this and a lot of these products contain high amounts of caffeine and sugar.
Weight loss myth 6 – Low fat or reduced fat foods are healthier
This is a very sneaky marketing trick used by a lot of companies to get you to eat foods with a higher sugar content. Technically, yes they do have a lower level of fat in them, however it isn’t automatically healthy as it could still have more fat then you are recommended for your daily intake and can also have higher levels of other ingredients such as salt and sugar.
Weight loss myth 7 – Drinking water will make you lose weight
Lastly, this one is a complete myth and it does not make you lose weight, however it will keep your body and brain hydrated and may make you want to eat less snacks. In some cases, thirst can be mistaken for hunger so always try drinking some water first before snacking.
Now that we’ve cleared up some of the most common weight loss myths, hopefully you can plan for your weight loss and manage to get through the other side as a healthier person.