Common Weight Loss Myths Debunked

Eat Healthy Carbs to Avoid Weight Gain

​Myths and facts are like morning and night-inevitable. People keep creating myths and giving facts that either prove/disprove the myth. Weight loss has become a strenuous task for people nowadays due to their haphazard lifestyles, eating habits and sleeping patterns. Every other day some myth keeps cropping up regarding weight loss. Mentioned here are few such myths that have been disproved strongly.

Myth: Extreme exercise measures is the only solution to weight loss.
Fact: Any long-term weight loss includes making small, effective changes over a period that can be followed all through your life. It is recommended that adults get at least 30 minutes of exercise such as fast walking or cycling 5 days a week to stay on a healthy weight. Overweight/obese people need more than this to lose weight. Always remember the basic of weight loss-burn more calories than you consume. For this, one must eat right, burn more calories and stay active.

Myth: You need to shell out more money to eat healthy food.
Fact: Initially you might feel that eating healthy foods such as fruits, veggies and whole grains cost you more than inexpensive ones such as pastries or cookies. The key to eating healthy food at less cost is to replace ingredients with healthy alternatives. For instance, choosing cheaper meats with cheaper proteins such as beans, pulses or other frozen veggies can help you spend less for more health.

Myth: Eating carbohydrates makes you fatter by the day
Fact: We need foods from all food groups and carbohydrates are no exception. Eating the right quantity of foods and choosing the right foods will never lead to weight gain. Choose carbs that do not contain butter, creamy sauces, etc. and go for healthy ones such as whole wheat bread, mashed potato with skin or brown rice.

Myth: I need to starve to lose weight
Fact: Crash diets are not the key to long-term weight loss, in fact they can lead to weight gain in the long term. This diet is difficult to follow in the long term, is devoid of many essential nutrients, makes the body feel less energized and crave for high-fat or high-sugar foods. Such things can make a person eat more and gain weight.

Myth: Body metabolism depends on the foods consumed
Fact: Metabolism is required for normal functioning of all organs in the body including breathing, digestion and repairing cells. All these processes are fueled by energy and the energy required is dependent on an individual’s body size, age, gender and genes.
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Although there are claims that certain foods and beverages might help increase body metabolism by making the person burn more calories and help in weight loss, there is little scientific evidence supporting this. Even some of these proclaimed foods and beverages might be high in sugar and caffeine that is unhealthy for the body. The main way to lose weight is to burn more calories that you consume and eat healthy food with portion control.