When it comes to losing weight and anything to do with the ‘D’ word (diet that is), information abounds. Eat this, don’t eat that, snack at this time, fast at night, the tips, tricks and advice comes thick and fast when you share your weight loss plans with family and friends.
While this advice is often well meaning and comes from a helpful place, it can be incredibly confusing and end up leaving you wondering if what you’re doing is actually the right thing at all.
Part of the problem is also those pesky ‘myths’ that seem to come to spring from the woodwork. Your cousins best friend will swear that cutting carbs is the way to go while you mums neighbour waxes lyrical about the benefits of following a low GI diet and choosing your proteins wisely.
While some of these myths have some seed of truth to them, many of them are just that; myths that end up doing your weight loss more harm than good.
Here we bust the top 5 weight loss myths to help you sort through the confusion and find a way to lose weight that is healthy and effective.
The top 5 weight loss myths
1. MYTH: Don’t eat a substantial meal at night/after a certain time
FACT: While going to bed on a full stomach can be uncomfortable, it generally won’t cause you to put on extra weight. Your body processes calories the same way, regardless of when they’re eaten. While consuming a whole load of food at night may mean that the energy hangs around a little longer, when you get up and moving the next day, you’ll end up dipping into your stores. What’s more important is the TYPE of calories you put into your body, not what time you do it.
2. MYTH: Carbs make you put on weight
FACT: Poor old carbohydrates cop a bit of a beating these days. The general theory is that the carbs you consume are turned into sugar by the body which is then stored as fat. While there is some truth to this, it’s not the carbs as such that are the problem, but the generally ENORMOUS portion sizes that we enjoy that rack up the calorie count faster that you can say ‘pasta’.
Eating a moderate amount of the right type (i.e. low GI, wholegrain carbs like grainy bread, sourdough or brown rice) of carbs is part of a healthy diet and will not cause excess weight gain. You can also learn more about portion control here and get our portion control plate here
3. MYTH: Separating your carbs and proteins is the best way to lose weight quickly.
FACT: This myth is derived from the idea that different foods use different enzymes for digestion. The reality? Our digestive tract is a highly complex and evolved system that is capable of digesting a variety of different foods at the same time. Evidence has actually found that it’s better to eat a meal that contains a mix of complex carbs and lean protein (along with plenty of greens), as opposed to a meal with one group in isolation.
4. MYTH: Dramatically cutting calories is the only way to lose a decent amount of weight.
FACT: Ah this old chestnut. Very low calorie diets have been a favourite with hollywood superstars when they need to shed kilograms, for decades. While eating very few calories will force your body to lose weight, it won’t be a very happy body after a very short time. Dramatic calorie restriction is almost impossible to maintain and can have far reaching physical and psychological side effects (think lack of energy, dizziness, confusion and anxiety). It’s also been firmly proven that any weight lost will return very quickly, and bring with it a couple more kilograms.
A healthy diet with a calorie content that is right for your body and energy needs is the best way to lose weight healthily – and you can read more about why fad diets are not good here and why healthy eating is the best way to lose weight here
5. MYTH: Fat free, low calorie, diet products are the best foods for weight loss.
FACT: A trip to the supermarket today could result in a trolley full of ‘fat free, low calorie’ fare. While these products sound good on paper, what they often don’t mention on the label is the amount of artificial sweetener and other related ingredients that are used to make the products edible and tasty. The jury is still out on the effect of artificial sweeteners on the body and we think they’re best avoided when possible. The other side effect of low calorie/diet products? You tend to eat more of them when they’re got a low cal label on them. Our brains see those words and seem to think it means that a free for all is required. Conversely, when we eat the same product but in the full fat version (yoghurt for example) we’re likely to eat far less.
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