168) FIVE MORE MYTHS ABOUT WEIGHT LOSS

My Weight Loss Coach (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You have read the first five myths about weight loss.  

There are many more to come.  It's best to break it up so that you may 'slowly digest' the myths.

Here are five more myths about weight loss that you may or may not have heard of.

Myth # 6 BY AVOIDING FAST FOODS YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT

You Are What You Eat (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Many of us conclude that because fast food is normally loaded with fat, sugar and empty calories, eating thes foods will make you fat.  However, not every person who regularly eat in fast food restaurants are overweight.

FACT

Based on the principle of losing weight by taking fewer calories than what you burn,  you can eat what you want, and that includes fast foods and still be able to maintain your weight.

Eat less do more (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

MYTH # 7 SKIP MEALS AND YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT FASTER

Some people insist that if they want to lose weight, they just eat fewer meals in a day and that it is a good thing.  They mistakenly assume that if they miss a meal, they will eat less overall during the day.  Well, not really.

FACT

Research has found that if you eat fewer than 3 meals a day, it actually increases hunger.  

Skipping a meal, especially breakfast, will make you eat more in subsequent meals.  Not only will you eat more, you will prefer taking in high-fat foods.

At the end of the day, you may consume more calories compared to if you eat several smaller meals.   Furthermore, researchers have found that people who eat fewer times a day tend to be heavier.

MYTH # 8  IF YOU EAT SUPPER, YOU WILL GAIN WEIGHT

Most people think that the food they eat before they go to bed is stored as fat because when they are asleep, they burn very little energy. 

This is a misconception. 

FACT

Studies have found that the time of day you eat your food has links to your total daily food intake.  

For example, if you eat the bulk of your food at the beginning of the day,  you tend to feel satisfied throughout the day and eat less food later.  

In comparison, if you eat the main meal of your daily food much later in the day, you will feel less satisfied with the food and causes you to consume more calories throughout the day.  

While it is true that eating your large meals earlier during the day will help lower your intake of calories, generally, eating at night by itself will not increase your weight.

You will only gain weight if the amount of calories ingested versus the amount of calories expended is negative.  Even though you can have only one meal a day in the middle of the night,  you will still lose weight because you have a negative caloric balance.

MYTH # 9 DON'T EAT NUTS AS THEY ARE FATTENING

In terms of calories, nuts can be loaded with it.  

For example, a cup of almonds which is about 100 grams, has over 550 calories which is the same as eating 8 slices of whole wheat bread.  Then it must be true that eating nuts is fattening.  Or is it?

FACT

You may be surprised to know that studies have found that nuts are NOT fattening.    According to the research, people who eat nuts do not gain weight.  Instead, they would tend to lose some weight.  It explains that there are three reasons why.

1. Nuts are not totally absorbed by our body.  A large amount of the calories in them are passed out through the feces.

2. Nuts make you feel full  This means that you will not eat more food in subsequent meals and this will balance off the calories you have after consuming the nuts.  

3. When you eat nuts, even when you are resting, the energy expenditure is increased by 11%.  As a result, the metabolic processes prevent you from putting on weight when you eat nuts.  That is why weight loss programs such as Atkins, Medifast and Weight Watchers promote consumption of nuts.

MYTH # 10  PORTION CONTROL IS THE KEY.  CALORIES DON'T COUNT

"Eat 3 Well-Balanced Meals Everyday Eat the Basic Seven Everyday" - NARA - 514201 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For some of us, we may feel intimidated to count the calories we eat.  The simple reason is this.  How do we know what is the calorie content of every food we put in our mouths?  

However, we do know that by eating a smaller portion of the food, we will lose weight.  There are instances where people do report losing weight using this method.

FACT

In order to lose weight, you have to take in fewer calories that you burn.  It is called 'caloric deficit."  In order to achieve caloric deficit, you have to know your daily energy spent and your daily total intake of calories.

Of course, you can reduce the portions  and hope that at the final count, you have burned more calories than you consumed.  For the weight loss to be effective, it is not based on guesswork.  It has been proven that counting calories is important for a successful weight loss.  This can be easily done using online calorie calculators.

My next topic for discussion is, "Five Big Lies Men Tell Women."

You may also like to read:
153) IS THERE SUCH A THING AS ZERO CALORIE FOOD?

155) DOES SUGAR MAKE YOU LESS SMART?
156) THE FACTS AND MYTHS ABOUT ARTHRITIS AND JOINT PAIN
157) WHY YOU SHOULD NOT IGNORE THESE PAINS
159) ICE TEA-A DANGER TO YOUR KIDNEY?

160) PREVENTION TIPS FOR VARICOSE VEINS

MY POEM CORNER

Equal calories in,

Equal calories out.

No double chin

Without a doubt.

Calorie count, no in between.

You can indulge,

You still will win,

the war against the bulge.

An online calculator,

Can make it easier.

Help you kick the loss,

And you will be the Boss!

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog.

Until my next post,

Here's To Your Health!

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• 166) Five Myths About Weight Loss