Dieting: Eleven Myths that Pack on Pounds







Shedding excess weight is a noble agenda as it helps you to ward off serious ailments in the future. Yet, there are some myths that make it difficult to achieve your objectives. Julia Valentour, a program coordinator for the American Council on Exercise, is quoted on the Prevention.com website in one of their weight loss articles as saying, “Believing popular misconceptions can keep you from taking the right course of action to reach your goals”.

Diana Kelly, covering weight loss topics for Prevention.com, has compiled eleven such popular misconceptions or myths that pack on pounds:

1.    “Strength Training will bulk me up” – This myth states that a pound of muscle will be heavier than a pound of fat. Whether it is muscle or fat, a pound will be a pound. Valentour feels that muscle weight should be allowed to look firmer and fit.

2.    “I exercise every day, so I can eat whatever I want” – Wish it were true, but it is not. Valentour suggests eating 250 fewer calories every day and burning an extra 250 calories per day. This equation will help you with an average weight loss of approximately a pound a week.

3.    “It’s harder for women to lose weight than for men” – Men are made with more lean muscle mass biologically than the women. Women just have to sweat more and add strength training to their fitness regimen.

4.    “All calories are equal, so it doesn’t matter what I eat” –If you eat a hundred calories’ worth of cake or celery stalks, it will not be the same for your body. Some foods burn more calories while you are digesting them.

5.  “Eating fat will make me fat” –The Institute of Medicine has recommended that you have to get sufficient fat in your diet for maintaining good health. Mono-unsaturated fats from the healthy oils in plant foods like olives, nuts and avocados are beneficial.

6.    “Eating at night will make me gain weight” –Marjorie Nolan, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, suggests that you can eat dinner an hour later to curb the habit of eating at random.

7.     “Drinking a ton of water will help me drop pounds” – Drinking water can help weight loss but it will not have that impact if you are not changing other habits too.

8.    “Becoming a vegetarian will help me drop a size” – You could still pack on pounds if you do not follow a proper vegetarian diet and just simply discard meat from your diet. The veggies could be packing in more cheese, grains, beans and veggie burgers.

9.   “Subbing diet soda and diet foods is a smart way to lose” – This will not give you long term results and may increase the risk of metabolic syndrome. Excessive consumption of aspartame could build up tumors in your body.
    
10.  “Weight gain and belly fat are unavoidable after 40” – If you exercise regularly and cut down on sugar, rice and white flour, you should be doing alright even after your fortieth birthday.

11.  “Steer clear of chocolate” – Studies have shown that there is no connection to chocolate and weight gain. Some types of chocolates may even be good for you.

Joyce Hendley, a contributing editor to Eating Well, sums it up nicely when she says, “Behind most food and nutrition myths, there is a kernel of truth. We separate the science from the silliness”.


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