Avoiding the 5 Weight Loss Myths

Losing weight can at times seem to be a counterintuitive exercise.  So, let's look at ways that "commonsense" can lead us down the wrong road, if we are not careful.

1.  Eating less calories - The old canard for losing weight has always been to eat less than you need, and like a bank account; as you withdraw more than you deposit, you lose weight.  In truth, it is not about how much you eat; so much as it is about when you eat.  Eating 1 or 2 meals a day, thinking that you are cutting back on calories, is a road to disaster.  Well-balanced meals that are evenly spread throughout the day are what you need regardless of your fitness goals.

2.  Fasting to lose weight - Yeah, this is not a good idea because your body is no dummy.  Stop eating for a day and your body will automatically go into survival mode.  Fasting with just liquids for a day, or several, does not cleanse your body or provide some weird detox benefit.  We are not made to fast, so do not try to trick your body.  Whatever pounds you lose during this period will come back with a vengeance.

3.  Snacking is cheating - Oh this I know so well, because I lived on Ho-Ho's for awhile.  But not all snacking is the same.  And you need to snack.  Sure, you want to lose weight but that doesn't mean you need to torture yourself.  Just plan you snacks and plan what you want to eat, like a small bowl of healthy trail mix or a banana.

4.  Eat Low-Fat foods - In general, eating a low-fat version is not a bad idea, but you must check the nutritional labels.  What did they add to make up for dropping the fat?  The overall calorie count may actually be higher.   Low-fat, no fat, low sodium, and no sodium are almost as much a marketing scheme as it is a nutritional requirement - you must check the labels.

5.  The more you sweat, the more you lose – No, not really because sweating is your body's efforts to keep you cool.  You sweat so as not to overheat your body.  It really is not a gauge of how much fat you are losing while exercising.  And guess what, most of the water you replenish right back.

The best tool for losing weight will always be knowledge.  The most challenging obstacle will be all the misinformation that clusters the field of weight loss. 

Take a good look at where you are now and make a realistic plan for achieving what you want.  Use t

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