For years and years, people worldwide have tried to maintain or lower their weight by altering their diets. Americans seem to have an obsession with developing new tricks and tips that will ensure weight loss. Many of these methods, however, are not only ineffective, but actually counterproductive. The following is an explanation of some of the most common dieting myths and why you should be wary.
Myth 1: Fad diets work long term if you stick to them.
Fad diets are the type that promise quick weight loss by eating certain foods in combination with one another or by eliminating some sorts of foods all together. These diets are “scale-focused” and thus, weight lost is due to water loss. Also, due to their restrictive qualities, fad diets can often leave followers with low amounts of important nutrients. Healthy dieting in combination with exercise is the most effective way to lose weight and usually anywhere from one half to two pounds per week is considered a healthy amount of weight loss.
Myth 2: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are a healthy way to lose weight because starches are fattening.
First of all, carbohydrates are not bad for you. I don’t know who started this myth, but it needs to stop. With this said, it is important that when trying to lose weight, you limit the amount of refined carbohydrates and instead replace them with high-fiber fruits, vegetables and whole grains. There are numerous problems associated with getting a large portion of dietary intake from protein alone, including decreased energy (carbohydrates are the first source of energy), which is often associated with feeling weak and nauseous. In addition, many people complain of constipation when eating only high protein diets because they are not getting enough dietary fiber. High protein/low carbohydrate diets, when followed too long can also lead to a buildup of ketones in the blood (creating a condition called ketosis) that can induce the production of high levels of uric acid, which is a risk factor for kidney stones and gout (a condition characterized by painful swelling in the joints).
Myth 3: Certain foods, like grapefruit, celery, or cabbage soup, can burn fat and make you lose weight.
There is no such thing as a food that helps you burn fat. The only thing that helps burn fat is activity and exercise. Still, it is true that if you only ate grapefruits, celery or cabbage soup, you would lose weight due to inadequate nutrition and calorie intake; you wouldn’t necessarily lose only fat. Starvation-type diets encourage the body to go into panic mode and so usually muscle tissue will be used for energy in addition to fat stores, leaving a person looking flabby and under-toned.
Myth 4: Low-fat or nonfat foods are good for you.
While this may apply to fruits and vegetables, it certainly doesn’t apply to cookies, granola bars or my personal favorite, frozen yogurt. Just because a food item like frozen yogurt has fewer grams of fat than ice cream doesn’t mean it is good for you. This is especially true when considering that it is still loaded with sugars that the body turns to fat. Add toppings to it, and that only perpetuates the problem. So what is the message here? Low-fat or no-fat may be better than high-fat, but it certainly does not mean that it is “healthy” or “good” for you.
Myth 5: Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.
While we’ve heard about the importance of breakfast ad nauseum, there are still so many students who go without breakfast.. or lunch. or dinner, for that matter. I had a close friend last year who took classes during meal times, so she decided that she would just snack her way through the day. While at first this seemed like a logical idea, a granola bar and fruit snacks during the day and soup or hummus and pita chips for dinner weren’t providing her with enough calories or nutrition. She was often left feeling hungry, unsatisfied and frustrated. On the flip side of this, I also have friends who enjoy having no specific eating time. These “grazers” continuously nosh on foods throughout the day, never really sitting down to have a meal. Both of these approaches to meal times can be extremely detrimental to weight loss efforts. My recommendation: if eating during mealtimes is inconvenient for your schedule, eat meals either during class (a small sandwich will go unnoticed in a lecture class) or when it is convenient for you. For example, if you get up at 11 a.m. and have class from 12 p.m. until 4 p.m., eat a meal before and after class. Eating meals will keep your metabolism running, preventing the drop in metabolic rate that occurs in reaction to decreased food intake, and it will prevent bingeing on snacks later on in the day.
Myth 6: Drinking water will make you lose weight.
While it is true that ample water consumption is an important part of healthy living and a well-balanced diet, drinking water alone will not promote weight loss. Drinking water instead of high calorie drinks will encourage weight loss because by replacing the other drinks with a zero calorie option, you are saving several hundred calories. Consuming fewer calories is what ensures weight loss. I have also heard that water will “fill” someone up, replacing food. Some sources do claim that people often mistake thirst for hunger, but I have found that most often, when a person is hungry-i.e., stomach is growling and mouth salivating-only food will satiate them. Still, it is important to drink water and I highly recommend it to dieters and non-dieters alike.
Myth 7: “Going vegetarian” means you are sure to lose weight and be healthier.
This should be rephrased to say, “Going vegetarian almost always ensures that you are going to lose muscle mass and be less healthy with a higher body fat percentage unless you are extremely careful.” The reason for this is that in order to obtain adequate protein, which we need for rebuilding muscles, a vegetarian often has to consume more foods that are higher in calories to get the same amount of protein that someone who eats lean meats and fish can get in far fewer calories. Tofu, beans and high protein grains like quinoa need to be eaten in large quantities to obtain the same amount of protein. This is coupled by the fact that proteins from plants are incomplete proteins, needing a second form of plant protein to compliment it (more calories), while those from animals are complete proteins, and can be used by the body right away. Still, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t thin vegetarians or healthy ways to diet as a vegetarian, but it does require a lot more research and hard work to maintain or lose weight on a vegetarian diet.
Myth 8: Nuts are fattening and you should not eat them if you want to lose weight.
Nuts, while fattening, are sources of healthy fats. Every diet needs fats, as they carry out extremely important functions-transporting vitamins A,D, E and K throughout the body and promoting the growth of healthy hair, nails and skin. Nuts also have been identified as a great way to stave off hunger prior to meal times or to add to cereal, dried fruit or yogurt to make them more filling. As long as you are careful about portion size, nuts are the perfect addition to plenty of foods. For example, seven almonds have 40 calories, two grams of protein, zero grams of carbohydrates and three point five grams of fat-pair it with a piece of fruit or some dry cereal and you have the perfect dieter’s snack.
Myth 9: Salads are always the healthiest choice at meal times.
I have personally witnessed several of my friends only getting salads for lunches, dinners or both. While a side garden salad without dressing is always a healthier option than a side order of fries, salads may not always be the healthiest choice. First off, many people add fattening and caloric toppings to their salads-crispy chicken, creamy dressing and full fat cheese all raise the calorie and fat content of the salad. Even fruits can be a downfall as students pile on sweetened dried cranberries, apricots and banana chips. Nuts, seeds and beans, while all healthy, also add several hidden calories to salads. So salad enthusiasts beware: while there are many lower-calorie salad options, there are also salads that far surpass the calorie content of mozzarella sticks, burgers or any of the other tasty Grill options.
Myth 10: Eating after 8 p.m. causes weight gain.
This one is my personal favorite, mainly because I’ve heard it so many times. As in all of the above statements, there is a shred of truth in this tip. You should be aware of mindless snacking. Most Americans, after rising at 6 a.m., are getting ready for bed around 10 p.m. or 11 p.m., so they should not be eating too much too closely to when they go to sleep. Also, some people complain of heartburn or indigestion that is often associated with eating close to bedtime. Now, here’s why it isn’t true, especially for college students. We are all on completely different schedules; some of us don’t go to bed until 3 a.m. To be eating after 8 p.m. is fine if you stay up that late. Even more importantly, it is not when we eat that influences weight gain, but rather how much we eat over the period of a day and how that is balanced with the number of calories we burn. Eating a sandwich at 8 p.m. or eating it at 3 p.m. makes no difference in the amount of food you consume daily, but you should still be aware of late night snacking, as it is the downfall of many careful dieters.