Weight Loss Myths Debunked (Part 1)

“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!