15 Weight Loss Myths ...

I wish! Faddy diets may help you lose a little weight, for a very small amount of time, but it will come back as soon as you resume normal eating habits, or maybe even sooner!

The long term health effects of this are unknown, but they aren’t thought to be good. Eating a high protein diet can lead to a build of cholesterol, and eventually heart disease. The diet will make you weak, nauseous and tired.

Many common foods, such as bread and pasta, contain starch. They are only fattening when eaten in large portions, and lack of starch will make you feel very hungry!

No foods burn fat. Some foods with caffeine can speed up your metabolism, but none cause weight loss.

These weight loss products are not usually tested to see if they are safe, and in the past, some have contained ingredients that have caused death!

To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat. For most people, this means cutting out some foods, to minimize calorie intake. I’ve found that if I control my portions I can eat pretty much anything, but some things are definitely still ruled out!

No fat means that there is a lower number of calories in that product then the full fat version. They can taste very different, though. For example, I hate any type of low fat butter... Check you like the food, and that the calorie difference is worth the taste difference!

Again, if you burn more calories than you consume, nothing is completely ruled out. Every now and again, they won’t do any harm.

I regularly used to skip meals, due to lack of hunger, but this is actually very detrimental to dieting. Skipping meals leads to your body entering starvation mode, and you may end up gaining weight instead.

This is especially popular at colleges, and I know many of my friends believed it. It doesn’t matter when you eat, as long as the food is healthy and you don’t overeat.

Lifting weights will help you to lose or maintain your weight, as they help you to build muscle, which burns calories faster than fat. Muscle weighs more than fat, though, so the figure you see on the scales may not change.

Nuts are actually very healthy, and make a good diet snack, provided you only eat a small amount. I take half of a small bag in my handbag with me, In case I get hungry. I find this helps me to avoid snacking on unhealthy foods!

Eating lean meats should be a part of every weight loss plan, as they are high in energy and should keep you feeling full for a long time. Choose meats that are lean, and trim all visible fat away.

I love yoghurts and could not cut them out, so I’m glad this is false! Choose low or non fat, as these contain fewer calories. Dairy products are a main source of calcium, which is a vital nutrient.

Some vegetarian diets contain fewer calories than the average diet, and so it has became widely known that cutting out meat may help you lose weight. This is unlikely, however, because vegetarians have the same temptations, and just pick better foods. Strong willpower is more likely to work then becoming a vegetarian.

So now you know which rumours aren’t going to work, you should find losing weight a lot easier! Have you heard a terrible diet rumour? Please share it with me!

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