Tag Archives: healthy weight loss

Weight Loss Myths Set Straight (Part 2)

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When you are trying to lose weight it can seem impossible to sort out the “lose weight fast!” scams and schemes from the healthy tricks and tips, so we decided to address some of the most common weight loss myths with the facts to help sort the mess out a little. Check out our “Weight Loss Myths Debunked Part 1” if you haven’t already! Here are a few more we came across:

Myth: You must have a thyroid problem if you have a difficult time losing weight.
Fact: In actuality less than 5% of the American populous have hypothyroidism, so just because you have a hard time losing weight that doesn’t mean a disorder is to blame. However, if you experience many of the other symptoms of hypothyroidism along with inability to easily shed pounds, you should talk to your primary care doctor or one of our highly qualified DocChat physicians today.

Myth: Carbs are bad!
Fact: Not all carbohydrates are evil, simple carbs such as glucose, corn syrup and refined sugar are made of only a couple sugar molecules and are rapidly digested. They don’t provide much nutritional sustenance and usually comprise ‘junk food’ products that can be bad for our health. However, complex (starchy) carbs like pasta, potatoes and whole grains are essential parts of a healthy diet when eaten in the proper proportions. They often contain goodies such as fibre and B vitamins and can provide you with the energy you need to get through your day and your workouts.

Myth: If you just exercise regularly, you can eat what you want and still lose weight.
Fact: Unless you’re an anomaly to the norm, if you are exercising the called for half an hour to an hour a day but still eating a big bag of chips, dessert after every meal and take-out on the regular, chances are you won’t be hitting your target weight loss goal any time soon. You are burning off a normal amount of calories, but taking in an excess of calories because of a lousy diet, your exercising isn’t going to cover all those added calories. It is almost like swimming against a current, all your hard work will likely just be eclipsed by the chip bag or donut box. In order to achieve healthy weight loss, eating a well balanced healthy diet and exercising regularly are both recommended.

Myth: A calorie is a calorie, they are all the same.
Fact: Our bodies metabolize different types of food in different ways. For example, protein can boost your metabolism by making it work harder as well as keep you satiated for a longer period of time, while simple carbs such as refined sugar are zoomed through your metabolism and stored as fat, working against your metabolism. So protein calories are better types to consume more of than simple carb or ‘empty’ calories when you are trying to stay healthy and keep an eye on your waistline.

Myth: Dairy products are too fattening for weight loss
Fact: As long as you make lower fat dairy choices, dairy can be an important part of a healthy diet and can help you stay or become trim. Dairy contains a surplus of protein, which is conducive to weight loss and healthy eating, as well as calcium and vitamin D. If you have trouble consuming dairy, the protein and calcium in soy products can adequately replace dairy products.

We hope our myths and tips helped you. If you have any questions about healthy weight loss, or obesity or other related illnesses don’t hesitate to sign up today and try a video conference with one of our qualified and experienced DocChat physicians. Thanks for visiting, have a great day!

Weight Loss Myths Debunked (Part 1)

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“The biggest misconception (about weight loss) is that doing something in the short term will have long-term results.”

-Elaine Magee (WebMD “Recipe Doctor”)

Myth: You have to be a gym-oholic to lose weight.
Fact: As long as you are working off your caloric intake (or more), small bursts of different kinds of activity can be as helpful as a really intense gym session. The key is to eat a little less (especially less junk food, don’t cut down on good foods), and exercise more. Adults should get at least a half an hour a day of exercise.
Myth: It is more expensive to eat healthy.
Fact: Not necessarily. Buying a pack of frozen veggies is cheaper than buying a bag of fries or pizza. Swapping out fattening ingredients with healthier ones such as adding beans to a casserole instead of bacon can even be a little cheaper than eating unhealthily.
Myth: “Low fat” foods will all lead to weight loss.
Fact: Foods labeled “low fat” are often high in simple carbs like refined sugar, which is not a great trade-off. The label “low fat” also tends to trick people into over-indulging in these stealthily troublesome foods which leaves the person no further ahead than if they had chosen the full-fat version of the food. Not to mention your body still needs some fat to absorb and transport vitamins and nutrients, however, most of your fat intake should be unsaturated fats which help with HDL (good) cholesterol as opposed to the hydrogenated fats in “low fat” foods.
Myth: Store bought “weight loss detox” products will help you lose weight.
Fact: These products may help you shed a pound or two initially but almost all cases the weight will pile back on with more force than ever in the long term. Many of these products are unhealthy and could cause adverse side effects such as perforation of the colon. Check out our article on Detoxes for more information.
Myth: You can never eat fast food again if you’re trying to lose weight.
Fact: Many restaurants (yes, even fast food ones!) offer healthier alternatives now to attract healthier eaters as well as those who love burgers and fries. Fast food chains realize many Americans are opting for healthy living, so they are offering salads, a baked alternative to the usual deep-fried products, wraps and fruit smoothies (check to make sure they are made from real fruit and not high-sugar fruit flavors). Eating out occasionally won’t cause significant weight gain or sabotage your progress as long as you keep it to once every couple of weeks, or choose healthy options.

Stay tuned for Weight Loss Myths Debunked (Part 2) shortly! Thanks for visiting DocChat!