Ten myths about weight loss that you should stop believing

There is a general perception that I have been following certain diets for years and therefore know very well what to do.

Unfortunately, things are not that simple. There is too much information on the internet nowadays, which obviously needs to be filtered before it can be adopted. However, we often resort to incorrect behaviors that have the opposite effect.

So let's debunk some of these perceptions, starting with the well-known and oft-repeated ones, which nevertheless tend not to be followed:

1. I skip meals to lose weight faster.

There is a belief that by reducing the calories we consume, we will lose weight more quickly.

By consuming few calories, the body tends to store them more easily. We constantly need energy so that we can metabolize and keep our metabolism active.

By reducing meals, what we actually achieve is to feel very hungry, resulting in us consuming twice as much.

Snacks are the best way to stay full, avoid overeating, and, of course, increase our metabolism.

2. I don't eat breakfast so I don't consume extra calories.

Breakfast is the meal that will activate our metabolism, give us the energy we need to cope with our daily routine, and «save» us from overeating at lunchtime.

Of course, there are those who claim the exact opposite. They consume fatty foods because they believe that it is morning and by evening they will have «burned» them off.

All these behaviors do not bring the results we would like. We need a rich breakfast, but in terms of quality, not quantity!

3. I don't eat dinner after 8 p.m.

The time at which someone eats is irrelevant, as long as their daily calorie intake is within normal limits. What matters is that our last meal is at least two hours before bedtime.

Despite the well-known belief that food consumed at night is stored as fat, this is not true.

What we need to pay attention to if we want to lose weight is to distribute our calories throughout the day across all meals and not exceed the total number of calories that is ideal for each of us.

4. Light products do not make you fat.

We label foods that are lower in fat or sugar as «light.» This does not mean that they have no calories!

There is a misconception that because a food is lower in fat, it can be consumed in larger quantities. This is obviously not true. We choose to consume a low-fat food instead of a full-fat food in order to have a lower fat intake.

By consuming larger quantities, we are not actually consuming less fat. So, in order to reap any benefits, we need to keep the quantity constant.

5. Bread makes you fat

Before we blame bread, we should analyze it a little. Bread is at the base of the Mediterranean diet pyramid, making it one of the most essential elements of our diet.

So, as part of a balanced diet, it does not make you fat. Of course, this does not mean that we can eat as much bread as we want.

Usually, the way we eat bread is responsible for the extra calories we consume, since we often combine it with pasta or dip it in salad oil, and much more. As for the type of bread, both types (white and whole wheat) have exactly the same calories.

The main difference between them is their glycemic index. Whole grain bread has a lower glycemic index due to its higher fiber content, which aids in proper bowel function and heart protection. This does not mean, of course, that white bread is useless.

6. I ate too much, I'll skip a meal.

No matter how much you have eaten at one meal, you should not skip the next ones. When we do not feed our metabolism for many hours, it slows down.

To keep our metabolism active, we need to eat small meals every 2-3 hours. So, the best thing we can do is to continue our day as normal, eating all our meals, but simply paying attention to our choices.

7. I don't eat carbohydrates so that I can lose weight faster.

I avoid carbohydrates, so I lose weight. This is a very common misconception, which has no basis in reality. You may initially lose weight by avoiding carbohydrates, but you will soon regain it when you return to a normal diet. Carbohydrates, if used wisely in a balanced diet, can be beneficial. We avoid foods rich in simple carbohydrates, such as white flour, white pasta, etc., and choose whole grain cereals and pasta and fruit. These are all foods rich in fiber, which cause satiety and the absorption of dietary fat.

8. I don't eat foods containing gluten in order to lose weight.

This view is a simple misunderstanding. Gluten has absolutely no effect on healthy people. It only affects people who suffer from celiac disease. To lose weight, one simply needs to consume fewer calories than they expend each day.

9. After exercising, I can eat as much as I want.

To lose weight, you must not consume more calories than you expend/burn. Even someone who exercises is not exempt from this rule. Of course, their expenditure is greater, meaning they can consume more calories than someone who has a sedentary lifestyle, but this does not mean that they automatically lose weight no matter what they consume.

10. Bananas make you fat

The truth is that bananas have more calories than other fruits, but we will never «get fat» even if we eat bananas every day. Also, let's not forget that bananas are rich in nutrients and give us instant energy because they are high in carbohydrates (1 regular banana provides about 27 grams of carbohydrates), which are essential for controlling blood sugar and avoiding intense cravings snacking, they fill us up and are a very good alternative to other desserts that offer us «empty« calories, i.e., calories with no nutritional value.

Margarita Bouloubasi