Diet myths
More and more young people are dieting to get their bodies to a shape that they find acceptable. But, where are you getting your dieting tips from? There is so much conflicting advice out there that it’s hard to know what to believe. We’re going to set the record straight on some of the most common dieting myths.
Eating after 9pm – The rumour flying around is that eating after a certain hour leads to weight gain because you’re less active and so burn less calories. Though some people swear that it works for them, the truth is that your body will store extra fat regardless of the time you eat. That body fat is in fact determined by what you eat over a twenty-four hour period.
You can eat what you want and still lose weight – It’s a common thought that, as long as you are exercising regularly, you can still shed pounds even if you eat whatever you like. But, the fact is that the only way you will lose weight is by using up more calories than you take on board. Indulging in an unhealthy diet will make this extremely unlikely.
It's low-fat, so it must be low in calories - A low-fat food, such as a cereal bar or muffin, is not lower in calories and less likely to make you put on weight. Lots of low-fat or fat-free alternatives have so much sugar that they contain as many or even more calories as the full-fat versions!
Fewer meals will help you lose weight - Missing meals is not a good move. You’d be better off eating smaller portions but more often. Starvation diets will make you put on weight. At first you will lose weight, but you can’t go on forever with just one small meal a day and when you do go back to a normal diet you’re likely to put weight on faster and you could end up heavier than when you started!
Working out for longer is healthy – Long periods of exercise if fine as long as you're doing it correctly. If not, then you could be doing yourself more harm than good. A more effective way of fat burning is to do shorter bursts of a high-intensity exercise, as opposed to plodding along on the treadmill for longer. You need to eat well in order to have enough energy to exercise well and avoid injury.
Cutting out certain food groups is a good way to lose weight - Many fad diets suggest avoiding one or more food groups. It’s not a good idea to do this because you need a varied diet to get a healthy balance.
You can lose weight without exercising – it is true, you can lose weight just through dieting. But it isn’t the easiest or quickest way. It’s much better to combine a sensible exercise programme with a healthy diet.
Diets don’t lead to lasting weight loss or health benefits for most people. You would be better off not going on a diet at all. Your weight would be pretty much the same, and your body would not suffer the wear and tear of losing weight and gaining it all back. Instead, swap calorie-controlled plans for a balanced diet and regular exercise.