Been trying everything, and nothing seems to work? Let's take a closer a look at what's good advice and what's a myth - taking you away from your goal instead of closer to it.
Myth 1: Carbohydrates add layers of fat
Some carbohydrates have high fibres that are responsible for giving your body the much-needed boost to work efficiently all day long. The secret is to offer your body with the necessary carbs and yet restrain yourself from piling up those extra pounds. Remember that cutting drastically on your carbohydrate intake will only lower your energy levels and will lead to digestive problems. It is best to go for, what many dieticians call, the ‘good carbs’, such as whole wheat pasta, oats, brown bread and brown rice, beans, apple, etc.
Myth 2: Eat Breakfast like a king and dinner like pauper
There is a famous saying, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper.” The truth is that in an attempt to eat a heavy breakfast you tend to gorge on more unnecessary calories than required. A heavy breakfast does not make you feel less hungry during the rest of the day. So, there is no need to jumpstart your body’s metabolism early in the morning. It is important to structure your eating according to work-culture and lifestyle.
Myth 3: Eating smaller meals in a day
It is said that eating smaller meals frequently in a day helps to increase metabolism and consequently decrease weight. Eating small meals is good, but this reasoning is slightly off-the-path. Smaller meals are helpful as they help you to get a control on your hunger pangs. But this has no significant effect on your metabolism, if you are consuming same amount of calories.
According to various studies (2001 International Journal of Obesity or 2004 issue of the Scandinavian Journal of Nutrition, etc.), if equal calories are being consumed with three meals or six meals per day, then no significant difference has been found in total energy expenditure. Your metabolism hardly gets any boost by consuming smaller meals in a day. So, the important weight-loss lesson here is to keep a watch on your total calorie intake.
As you stand in front of the mirror, you frown at the bags of bulges stored around your tummy. The next step entails a cycle of browsing through diet articles, frequenting the dietician, cutting down on your carbs, exercising vigorously and eating miserly. But, is it really helping you in losing weight? Perhaps not! Well, we have tried to debunk some common diet myths, so that you get some clarity in your weight-loss regime before you start torturing your body again.
Myth 4: Any kind of fat is a strict no-no
Do not start believing the labels on the bottles of colas and juices reading 'Fat-Free'. They nicely add layers of fats to your body, although slowly. Being on a low-carb or low-fat diet is not going to help you in losing weight. Instead of absolutely abstaining from fats, you should try to include healthy and essential fatty acids in your diet. You can pop on some healthy nuts or fishes like mackerel, salmon or fruits like avocados.
Myth 5: Eating late at night leads to weight gain
There are many crash-diets that tell you to shut-off your kitchen doors after 7 pm. But, late evening eaters can find solace in knowing that your calories cannot read time. The truth here is that since you are not doing any physical activity, after a certain time in night, the calories will take a longer time to burn-off. So, it is best to avoid high calorie foods during the night. So, eating a light late dinner is not really going to do much harm to your diet.
Myth 6: Artificial sweeteners are a healthier alternative
Many researches have shown that the artificial sweeteners can actually induce slow and steady weight gain. As your body is tricked by these sugar substitutes, you crave for more sugary foods. These can also lead to digestive problems. Putting a small pinch of sugar in your tea or coffee is a better option. So, next time you are out with your friends, reach out for more healthier alternatives, like having a glass of carbonated water (also known as club soda, soda water or sparkling water) with lemon or lime.
Myth 7: You can eat whatever you want if you are hitting the gym
If you gorge on an ice cream or a cheesy pizza after burning loads of calories on the treadmill, it will add-on more calories than you lost. According to the spokesperson of American Dietetic Association, “Weight loss is a simple matter of calories in versus calories out.” If you don’t get your hunger cravings and food intake under control, then even exercising cannot help you out. Most balance diet regime should include filling foods such as fibre-rich veggies and healthy proteins; along with a good workout routine.
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