Weightloss Myths Debunked

When it comes to losing weight, there are certain myths that continue to persist in popular culture.

We’ve pretty much all heard the one about eating chilli peppers in an attempt to speed up your metabolism, and we all know that hot water with a slice of lemon first thing in the morning is the way forward when it comes to dropping a few pounds.

But is there really any truth in some of the traditional weight-loss myths out there? Here are five weight-loss myths that we are more than happy to debunk…

Myth: Carbohydrates make you fat.

FALSE: Ah carbohydrates. Not only do they taste all kinds of amazing (buttered white toast, how are ya!) but if you’re trying to lose weight, no longer do you have to shun them from your daily diet. You see there’s a common misconception that eating carbs will make you chubby. We’ve heard it from our mothers and from the entire cast of TOWIE who embarked on a ruthless ‘no carbs before Marbs!’ healthy eating regime. But the good news? Ladies, it’s just not true.

In fact, more and more research is surfacing which states that in order to have a healthy, balanced diet, we need to be eating carbs.

Did you know that if you cut your intake of comforting carbohydrates you could find yourself losing focus and concentration? You’ll feel weaker and hungrier. It’s just not worth it. Carbohydrates are perfectly fine as long as you stick to the healthy kind – we’re talking fruits, veggies and some delish whole grains.

Myth: Low-fat foods will help you lose weight.

FALSE: Put that low-fat, extra-light, skimmed-to-within-an-inch-of-its-life milk down and back away. Just because food is labelled ‘fat-free’ that doesn’t mean that it is low in calories. Actually, did you know that when fat is removed from food, sometimes it is replaced with so much sugar that the fat-free product contains more calories than the original full-fat version?

When you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important to keep an eye on the amount of calories contained within the food you’re eating. If the calories are higher than the full-fat version, then you know you’re eating more sugar than anything else.

Myth: Eating small meals frequently helps to boost your metabolism.

FALSE: This seems like it’s a bit of legitimate advice, but is it really? According to research, eating small meals every three to four hours doesn’t boost your metabolism. Not at all. What it does do, however, is fend off any between-meal hunger pangs you may experience.

Therefore, eating smaller meals on a frequent basis is more likely to stop you reaching for a packet of crisps or a bar of chocolate later on in the day, but it won’t increase your metabolism.

Myth: Skipping meals will help you to lose weight.

FALSE: Skipping meals will make you cranky, irritable and hungry. Sure, you’ll be consuming less calories, but food is fuel and your body NEEDS fuel to get it through the day. So you might save yourself 500 calories, but your concentration will be desperate, you’ll probably get a headache and we don’t have to tell you that it’s an unhealthy habit to get into. Personally we’d sooner have the 500 calories and a great day rather than counting down the hours until we can eat again.

Myth: Frozen fruits and vegetables aren’t as good for you.

FALSE: They’re actually even better for you than non-frozen veggies. Why? Well produce that is picked and immediately frozen ends up retaining more nutrients and vitamins than the ‘fresh’ food we buy in the supermarket. So if you’re dying for a bit of broccoli with your dinner, why not try the frozen variety?