Six Weight Loss Myths

There are a million people out there that will tell you how to lose weight. They’ll rattle off the latest thing they heard because it sounds right and they want it to be the easy answer. They don’t go back and verify this to be true. They just trust what they hear. Then they share it with you. And since you trust them, and what they say sounds right, you believe it. This is how myths get started and can surely hold you back from the weight loss you’re seeking.

I did some research and put together a list of six myths that just aren’t true and can be hurting your weight loss goals…

1. Don’t eat past 6pm

You don’t need to starve yourself, by not eating past 6pm, in order to lose weight. Now, this can help but it’s not required. If you typically eat a bunch of calories after 6pm, surely not eating those calories will help you lose weight. But the reality is that it doesn’t matter when you eat. It all comes down to whether you are at a calorie deficit for the day, week, and month. Eating less calories than you typically expend in a day is how you lose weight.

2. You HAVE to eat a low carb diet to lose weight

Low-carb diets can definitely help you lose weight, but they’re not the only diet that can help you lose weight. They are great for quick weight loss, as carbohydrates cause your body to retain water. And retained water makes you heavier. So, a low-carb diet will help you retain less water and appear to lose weight faster.

The truth is you can cut weight with just about any kind of diet as long as you’re operating at a calorie deficit. You just need to make sure your diet is healthy. Yeah, you can lose weight by eating just chocolate and candy each day, but your body needs better calories than those to be healthy.

3. Eating fat makes you fat

This seems to make sense. If you eat fatty foods, you will become fat. But this isn’t completely true. We need to have some healthy fats in our diets. These healthy fats have many benefits including lowering your risk of heart disease, lowering blood pressure, and lowering bad LDL cholesterol levels. So, we need some fat in our diets. It is recommended to have between 20% to 35% total fat in your diets for good health.

And don’t make the mistake of replacing high-fat foods with sugary carbs. This only makes things worse.

4. You HAVE to eat smaller meals, more frequently, to lose weight.

Again, it all comes down to a calorie deficit. Eating smaller meals, more frequently can help for sure. But it isn’t required to lose weight. One thing that can definitely help with weight loss is limiting your meals to one or two a day. This keeps insulin low, which is very beneficial to weight loss.

Eating smaller meals, more frequently, can aid in weight loss, but it isn’t required to lose weight.

5. You have to cut certain food groups to lose weight

When it comes to short-term results, cutting some food groups can help. But this is not ideal for long-term dieting. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you’re better off coming up with a diet that includes all the food groups in a healthy way. I’m happy to say that my diet consists of all the major food groups and I feel and look healthier than I’ve ever been.

6. You HAVE to eat diet food to lose weight

Sometimes the diet food choices we make actually hurt our weight loss. Some foods leave us with empty feelings in our stomachs that make us crave more food. Think about those low-fat sweeteners that are less calories but leave you craving food. Don’t rely on processed diet food choices for a long-term, healthy diet. They tend to cost more money and are not ideal for the long haul. Your best bet is to eat from natural food sources like fresh nuts, fruits, and vegetables with some healthy protein sources.

The Takeaway

There are many myths out there when it comes to cutting weight. And everyone’s body is a little different. At the end of the day, it comes down to a calorie deficit. The trick is to eat less calories than you expend and make those calorie sources as healthy as you can so that your body is getting all the nutrients it needs to lose weight and gain muscle.

Discovering the diet that works best for you includes identifying the healthy foods you like, eating them at or near a calorie deficit, and enjoying what you’re eating. If you don’t like what you’re eating, you won’t keep it up. Find that diet of natural foods that works for you and one you can sustain for better health.