With the prevalence of weight loss gurus, products, books and tips available, it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction when you want to lose weight. Different diets have different parameters, certain pills and products promise to help you lose and some foods are labeled "diet foods" as a magic bullet for weight loss. Unfortunately, many of the widely used weight loss advice is incorrect and even dangerous. The true path to weight loss is a healthy diet combined with an active lifestyle.
Skipping Meals Can Help You Lose
One of the most frequent depictions of a diet is a person substituting meals or skipping them altogether to conserve calories and lose weight. And while the American Academy of Family Physicians admits that skipping meals may allow you to see short-term weight loss, it says that will eventually cause you to gain weight. When you skip meals, your body learns to store calories and fat to preserve energy when you don't eat. Once you begin eating normally again, your metabolism will have slowed and you may actually gain weight.
Certain Foods Burn Calories
A common weight loss myth concerns the existence of "negative calorie foods," which are described as foods that burn more calories through the chewing and digestion process than are in the food itself. Unfortunately, no such foods exist, as no food can burn fat, says the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Every type of food will have a caloric value and while some are certainly lower than others, you cannot eat celery, grapefruit or cabbage and expect to experience anything but boredom with your diet.
Fat is Bad
Fat is usually seen as the culprit for weight gain, so it only makes sense that some weight loss gurus promote a fat-free diet. But healthy fats should be part of a balanced diet and can help aid in nutrient absorption so you get the most from your foods. While you should always avoid saturated fats, which are those that become solid at room temperature, the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats found in nuts, avocados and seeds are nutritious and necessary.
Weight Loss Can be Accomplished Quickly
When you see a commercial advertising a product that can help you lose 20 lbs. in a week or two, you should immediately become skeptical. A healthy rate of weight loss is 1 to 2 lbs. per week, and a faster rate of weight loss may be unhealthy. If you want to lose weight for an event, calculate how many weeks it will take you to reach your goal and start early. No diet product, pill or food is a healthy choice when it causes you to drop weight fast. You may see short-term results, but they could cause you to gain weight in the long term.
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