7 Myths of Dieting Health Article

7 Myths of Dieting

There's a long list of supposedly sure-fire tricks to losing weight fast, and it seems like a new one is "discovered" every day. Whether it's online, on TV, in pop-culture magazines, or at the watercooler, everyone has an opinion on how to lose weight. But how do you separate myths from facts? Healthline can help. Here are some common diet myths that not only don't work, but may actually be harmful to your health.

Myth 1: Certain foods can burn fat and make you lose weight.

Grapefruit. Celery. Cabbage soup. Although these are touted as "negative calorie" and "fat-burning" foods, there's really no such thing. In other words, you can't follow up a hamburger with a bowl of cabbage soup and expect the soup to burn off the fat from the burger. On the other hand, if you replace high-calorie foods with low-calorie foods and exercise regularly, you will start to lose weight; what matters is the total amount of calories you consume in a day. So yes, switch out your breakfast muffin with a grapefruit — just don't expect the grapefruit to do all the work for you.

Myth 2: Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.

Skipping meals is actually dangerous and crash dieting just doesn't work. When you skip meals or "crash diet" — eating only celery for two weeks, for example — you don't burn the fat off your body; you burn lean muscle. The loss of lean muscle lowers your metabolic rate, and your body goes into "starvation mode." In other words, your body learns to need fewer calories on a daily basis. So when you stop dieting or fasting, you'll likely gain back the weight even faster than you lost it, and possibly even add on a few extra pounds. In addition, skipping meals deprives your body of essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients and may lead to fatigue, dizziness, constipation, dehydration, and other symptoms. Some fasting diets claim that your body needs to be "cleansed" or "detoxed." But really, there's no need to go through an intense "detox" program. If you're eating and exercising in a healthy way, your body will take care of toxins on its own, through your skin, liver, colon, and kidneys.

Myth 3: Fat is bad for you, and cutting fat from your diet will cause weight loss.

Low-fat and fat-free foods are very often lower in calories. However, that's not always the case. In fact, many low-fat or fat-free food items are just as high in calories as the fat-containing versions of the same food. How's that possible? Well, these items often contain added sugar and thickeners (which are high in calories) to improve the flavor and texture that was lost when the fat was removed. In addition, remember that not all fat is bad for you; health experts believe that about 1/3 of your energy should come from fat. Unsaturated fats from foods like avocado, seafood, and olive oil actually lower cholesterol and assist in transporting fat soluble vitamins A, E, D, and K throughout body. Bad fats are the saturated and trans fats found in fried foods, cookies, margarine, and anything labeled "partially hydrogenated." The key is to avoid the bad fats and make sure that fat-free foods are actually low in calories.

Myth 4: "The Magic Pill."

There's no such thing as a magic weight-loss pill. The only time you should ever use drugs to help lose weight is if you have a legitimate and doctor-verified problem such as an endocrine disorder. Not only are weight-loss drugs unlikely to work in the long run, they can also be severely dangerous. Consider the case of Fen-phen, an incredibly popular weight-loss pill in the 1990's that really did help people lose weight. However, users of Fen-phen started reporting severe and permanent heart problems, such as valvular heart disease and pulmonary hypertension, and in 1997, the FDA forced its withdrawal from the market. Also, just because a supplement is "natural" or "herbal" doesn't mean it's safe. For example, products containing ephedra (a plant-based supplement) were found to cause dozens of negative side effects and are now banned by the FDA. Talk to your healthcare provider before taking any weight-loss supplement.

Myth 5: Drinking lots of water will make you lose weight.

There are claims floating around out there that water "flushes the fat" out of your system, but these claims just aren't true. Yes, water is important to your overall health, and you need to stay hydrated, but drinking a ton of water is not going to cause weight loss. Too much water can even be dangerous; water intoxication lowers the electrolyte balance in your body and can be a real medical emergency. What does help you lose weight is replacing soft drinks and other sweetened drinks with water. If you replace one can of Coca-Cola with a glass of water a day, for example, you're already cutting 140 calories out of your daily diet. Also, oftentimes you'll eat to satisfy body urges that you read as hunger but are really thirst. If you feel hungry between meals, try having a glass of water instead of a snack; you may just be a little dehydrated. Learn to eat only when you're actually hungry.

Myth 6: "No Pain, No Gain."

This is the kind of myth that scares people away from exercise. It's simply not true; exercise doesn't have to be painful to be effective. Studies show that that intensity is less important than the total amount of exercise done and that intermittent exercise is just as effective as continuous exercise. You should be shooting for at least moderate intensity — a brisk walk will do — for a successful workout. You definitely don't have to run until you're on the verge of fainting or being sick. It may be a cliche, but remember the tortoise and the hare — slow and steady wins the race. Don't throw yourself into an extreme exercise program and burn out after a week; set a pace you can keep for the long term to really make a difference.

Myth 7: Eating after 8 p.m. will make you gain weight.

It's not when you eat, it's what you eat. People will tell you that if you eat late in the evening, your body will store all the fat because you aren't moving or engaged in any activity at night to burn it off. This is simply not true. What matters is the total amount you eat and how physically active you are in a 24-hour period. No matter when you eat, your body stores extra calories as fat, so before you eat, whether it's right before bedtime or at lunch, think about the total calories you have eaten and will eat that day.