Weight Loss Dieting Myths
Myth: Fad diets work for permanent weight loss.
Fact: Fad diets are not the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Fad diets often promise quick
weight loss or tell you to cut certain foods out of your diet. You may lose weight at first on one of
these diets. But diets that strictly limit calories or food choices are hard to follow. Most people
quickly get tired of them and regain any lost weight. Fad diets may be unhealthy because they
may not provide all of the nutrients your body needs. Also, losing weight at a very rapid rate
(more than 3 pounds a week after the first couple weeks) may increase your risk for developing
gallstones (clusters of solid material in the gallbladder that can be painful).
Tip: Research suggests that losing ½ to 2 pounds a week by making healthy food choices, eating
moderate portions, and building physical activity into your daily life is the best way to lose
weight and keep it off. By adopting healthy eating and physical activity habits, you may also
lower your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
Myth: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are a healthy way to lose weight.
Fact: The long-term health effects of a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet are unknown. But
getting most of your daily calories from high-protein foods like meat, eggs, and cheese is not a
balanced eating plan. You may be eating too much fat and cholesterol, which may raise heart
disease risk. You may be eating too few fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which may lead to
constipation due to lack of dietary fiber. Following a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet may also
make you feel nauseous, tired, and weak. Eating fewer than 130 grams of carbohydrate a day can
lead to the buildup of ketones (partially broken-down fats) in your blood. A buildup of ketones in
your blood (called ketosis) can cause your body to produce high levels of uric acid, which is a
risk factor for gout (a painful swelling of the joints) and kidney stones. Ketosis may be especially
risky for pregnant women and people with diabetes or kidney disease.
Tip: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are often low in calories because food choices are
strictly limited, so they may cause short-term weight loss. But a reduced-calorie eating plan that
includes recommended amounts of carbohydrate, protein, and fat will also allow you to lose
weight. By following a balanced eating plan, you will not have to stop eating whole classes of
foods, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables—and miss the key nutrients they contain. You
may also find it easier to stick with a diet or eating plan that includes a greater variety of foods.
Medical studies show that a diet with extra protein and a low fat can help improve your weight
loss success and appetite control. However, adequate carbohydrate consumption is vital to help
maintain good health and energy levels along with good protein intake and reduced fat intake.
Myth: Starches are fattening and should be limited when trying to lose weight.
Fact: Many foods high in starch, like bread, rice, pasta, cereals, beans, fruits, and some
vegetables (like potatoes and yams) are low in fat and calories. They become high in fat and
calories when eaten in large portion sizes or when covered with high-fat toppings like butter, sour
cream, or mayonnaise. Foods high in starch (also called complex carbohydrates) are an important
source of energy for your body.
Tip: A healthy eating plan is one that:
ñ Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk
products.
ñ Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts.
ñ Is low in saturated fats, trans fat, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
Myth: I can lose weight while eating whatever I want.
Fact: To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you eat. It is possible to eat any kind of
food you want and lose weight. You need to limit the number of calories you eat every day and/or
increase your daily physical activity. Portion control is the key. Try eating smaller amounts of
food and choosing foods that are low in calories.
Tip: When trying to lose weight, you can still eat your favorite foods—as long as you pay
attention to the total number of calories that you eat, and include more healthy foods in your diet.
Myth: Low-fat or nonfat means no calories.
Fact: A low-fat or nonfat food is often lower in calories than the same size portion of the full-fat
product. But many processed low-fat or nonfat foods have just as many calories as the full-fat
version of the same food or even more calories. They may contain added sugar, flour, or starch
thickeners to improve flavor and texture after fat is removed. These ingredients add calories.
Tip: Read the Nutrition Facts Panel on a food package to find out how many calories are in a
serving. Check the serving size too it may be less than you are used to eating.
Myth: Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.
Fact: Studies show that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day tend to be
heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast and eat four or five times a day. This may be
because people who skip meals tend to feel hungrier later on, and eat more than they normally
would. It may also be that eating many small meals throughout the day helps people control their
appetites.
Tip: Eat small meals throughout the day that include a variety of healthy, low-fat, low-calorie
foods.
Myth: Lifting weights is not good to do if you want to lose weight, because it will make you
"bulk up."
Fact: Lifting weights or doing strengthening activities like push-ups and crunches on a regular
basis can actually help you maintain or lose weight. These activities can help you build muscle,
and muscle burns more calories than body fat. So if you have more muscle, you burn more
calories—even sitting still. Doing strengthening activities 2 or 3 days a week will not "bulk you
up." Only intense strength training, combined with a certain genetic background, can build very
large muscles.
Tip: In addition to doing at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (like walking
2 miles in 30 minutes) on most days of the week, try to do strengthening activities 2 to 3 days a
week. You can lift weights, use large rubber bands (resistance bands), do push-ups or sit-ups, or
do household or garden tasks that make you lift or dig.
Fact: Fad diets are not the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Fad diets often promise quick
weight loss or tell you to cut certain foods out of your diet. You may lose weight at first on one of
these diets. But diets that strictly limit calories or food choices are hard to follow. Most people
quickly get tired of them and regain any lost weight. Fad diets may be unhealthy because they
may not provide all of the nutrients your body needs. Also, losing weight at a very rapid rate
(more than 3 pounds a week after the first couple weeks) may increase your risk for developing
gallstones (clusters of solid material in the gallbladder that can be painful).
Tip: Research suggests that losing ½ to 2 pounds a week by making healthy food choices, eating
moderate portions, and building physical activity into your daily life is the best way to lose
weight and keep it off. By adopting healthy eating and physical activity habits, you may also
lower your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
Myth: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are a healthy way to lose weight.
Fact: The long-term health effects of a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet are unknown. But
getting most of your daily calories from high-protein foods like meat, eggs, and cheese is not a
balanced eating plan. You may be eating too much fat and cholesterol, which may raise heart
disease risk. You may be eating too few fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which may lead to
constipation due to lack of dietary fiber. Following a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet may also
make you feel nauseous, tired, and weak. Eating fewer than 130 grams of carbohydrate a day can
lead to the buildup of ketones (partially broken-down fats) in your blood. A buildup of ketones in
your blood (called ketosis) can cause your body to produce high levels of uric acid, which is a
risk factor for gout (a painful swelling of the joints) and kidney stones. Ketosis may be especially
risky for pregnant women and people with diabetes or kidney disease.
Tip: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are often low in calories because food choices are
strictly limited, so they may cause short-term weight loss. But a reduced-calorie eating plan that
includes recommended amounts of carbohydrate, protein, and fat will also allow you to lose
weight. By following a balanced eating plan, you will not have to stop eating whole classes of
foods, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables—and miss the key nutrients they contain. You
may also find it easier to stick with a diet or eating plan that includes a greater variety of foods.
Medical studies show that a diet with extra protein and a low fat can help improve your weight
loss success and appetite control. However, adequate carbohydrate consumption is vital to help
maintain good health and energy levels along with good protein intake and reduced fat intake.
Myth: Starches are fattening and should be limited when trying to lose weight.
Fact: Many foods high in starch, like bread, rice, pasta, cereals, beans, fruits, and some
vegetables (like potatoes and yams) are low in fat and calories. They become high in fat and
calories when eaten in large portion sizes or when covered with high-fat toppings like butter, sour
cream, or mayonnaise. Foods high in starch (also called complex carbohydrates) are an important
source of energy for your body.
Tip: A healthy eating plan is one that:
ñ Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk
products.
ñ Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts.
ñ Is low in saturated fats, trans fat, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
Myth: I can lose weight while eating whatever I want.
Fact: To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you eat. It is possible to eat any kind of
food you want and lose weight. You need to limit the number of calories you eat every day and/or
increase your daily physical activity. Portion control is the key. Try eating smaller amounts of
food and choosing foods that are low in calories.
Tip: When trying to lose weight, you can still eat your favorite foods—as long as you pay
attention to the total number of calories that you eat, and include more healthy foods in your diet.
Myth: Low-fat or nonfat means no calories.
Fact: A low-fat or nonfat food is often lower in calories than the same size portion of the full-fat
product. But many processed low-fat or nonfat foods have just as many calories as the full-fat
version of the same food or even more calories. They may contain added sugar, flour, or starch
thickeners to improve flavor and texture after fat is removed. These ingredients add calories.
Tip: Read the Nutrition Facts Panel on a food package to find out how many calories are in a
serving. Check the serving size too it may be less than you are used to eating.
Myth: Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.
Fact: Studies show that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day tend to be
heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast and eat four or five times a day. This may be
because people who skip meals tend to feel hungrier later on, and eat more than they normally
would. It may also be that eating many small meals throughout the day helps people control their
appetites.
Tip: Eat small meals throughout the day that include a variety of healthy, low-fat, low-calorie
foods.
Myth: Lifting weights is not good to do if you want to lose weight, because it will make you
"bulk up."
Fact: Lifting weights or doing strengthening activities like push-ups and crunches on a regular
basis can actually help you maintain or lose weight. These activities can help you build muscle,
and muscle burns more calories than body fat. So if you have more muscle, you burn more
calories—even sitting still. Doing strengthening activities 2 or 3 days a week will not "bulk you
up." Only intense strength training, combined with a certain genetic background, can build very
large muscles.
Tip: In addition to doing at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (like walking
2 miles in 30 minutes) on most days of the week, try to do strengthening activities 2 to 3 days a
week. You can lift weights, use large rubber bands (resistance bands), do push-ups or sit-ups, or
do household or garden tasks that make you lift or dig.
Tags: Weight Loss, Weight Loss Diet, Weight Loss Myths
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