9 Weight Loss Myths We Still Believe Today

It used to be that if you wanted half-baked or questionable information, all you had to do was open a supermarket tabloid or talk to your neighbor.

Over the last 20 years, however, you don’t have to work at getting inundated with all kinds of information — all you have to do is speak to Siri or Alexa or type in almost anything into Google.

Presto! We are flooded with online information: a lot crazy, much of it wrong, some questionable, and some accurate.

And weight loss is one area where are a lot of myths and misinformation floating around, some of it dangerous to our health.

So, we’ve assembled some of the biggest myths out there about weight loss and took them on with facts!

Myth #1.  You have to go hungry when dieting to lose weight.

Truth: Losing weight is not about going hungry all day. That is too uncomfortable, very frustrating and is likely the #1 reason why so many ultimately abandon a diet and quickly regain the weight.

Skipping meals or starving yourself makes the body work against weight loss by slowing down your metabolism to a snail's pace; it's called the famine reaction, and it's often a trigger to overeating later on.

Myth #3.  Fats are high-calorie and should be avoided.

Truth: Avoiding fat can actually lead to weight gain. The latest research shows that healthy fats can actually speed up your metabolism and help you shed pounds.

Fats are indeed the most calorie-dense nutrient, having twice as many calories per gram than proteins or carbohydrates. But healthy fats are essential for good health, provide energy, and helps the gut absorb certain vitamins from foods. 

Healthy oils come mostly from plant sources that are liquid at room temperature, such as olive or nut and seed oils. Other good sources are ground flax or hemp seeds, avocados, walnuts and wild-caught salmon.

Unhealthy fats are deep-fried fast foods, trans fats, and manufactured fats found in processed foods, such as shortening, certain microwave popcorn and margarine, donuts, non-dairy creamers, and some vegetable oils.

Myth #4.  Carbohydrates are fattening and should be restricted.

Truth: Carbohydrate-rich foods are the foundation of a healthy diet. Fruits, vegetables, beans, peas and whole grains are fiber-rich and crucial for healthy weight loss or a maintenance diet. 

It's the overly sweet and refined carbs that should be eliminated, especially if combined with fats, such as pastries, donuts, pies and cakes. Choose low-glycemic carbs when dieting for weight loss.

The Glycemic Index (GI) is a rating system for foods that lets us know how fast the body converts the carbs in a food into glucose.

The smaller the number, the slower the food is converted and the lower the effect on our blood sugar.

Myth #5. You can eat any foods you want if you limit calories. 

Truth: What you eat matters, and not all calories are equal. Going overboard on calorie counting focuses your attention on quantity over quality, and your health and appetite will pay the price for it.

Of course, food intake should be relevant to the calories you burn, but that tends to balance out naturally with a nutrient-dense diet. Most healthy food choices are high in fiber, keeping blood sugar stable and cravings reduced.

Myth #7.  You’ve got to cut out snacking to win at weight loss.

Truth: You shouldn’t allow yourself to go hungry between meals. 

Eat a healthy snack every three to four hours. If you’re not hungry enough to eat an apple (low in calories, high in fiber), it's a craving and not real hunger. 

Choose lean protein, veggies, an ounce of nuts, low glycemic berries, a half cup of chia seed pudding, or a serving of oatmeal with coffee or tea.  Be happy, not cranky! 

Best Diet for Weight Loss

Medically supervised weight loss is a highly specialized option for those who can afford it. And the so-called best weight loss clinics have trained medical staff, some focusing on doctor-supervised plans involving diet, exercise, and weight-loss pills. 

Yet, there is still no good clinical data proving that they work. 

Intermittent fasting for weight loss has become popular, and it has some basis in science. It’s an eating pattern that regulates your food intake to a specific window of time. Some prefer a full day of fasting once every week. Many opt for six to eight hours of fasting every day. 

Weight Loss Meal Plan

Almased was developed over 30 years ago in Germany by a holistic scientist with the intent of helping patients with a slow metabolism. As a side effect, patients quickly began losing weight. Soon after came the weight-loss program – The Almased Figure Plan.

The 4-Phase Figure Plan incorporates Almased powder into shakes that are low-glycemic and high-protein (LGHP) meal replacements. 

The four phases start by fasting with shakes and other liquids and gradually become more of a lifestyle as the shakes begin to accompany whole meals. What’s so good about the maintenance stage of the Figure Plan is how it helps to prevent weight gain and avoid yo-yo dieting.