Myths about Weight Loss

Are you trying to lose weight? Be careful! Many weight loss theories in the media might be only myths. Read this article for more information.

Written and verified by the nutritionist Silvia Zaragoza.

Last update: 27 December, 2022

Why is it that diets have so many myths that surround them? Sometimes, this is a changing and controversial science. Besides, high obesity rates have triggered many myths about weight loss. In this article, we’ll talk about the most important ones.

Avoiding carbohydrates: the best way to lose weight

There’s no such thing as the perfect diet to lose weight, as long as you’re eating fewer calories than the ones your body actually needs. According to different analyses and systematic revisions, a six-month low carb diet (low bread, rice, or pasta consumption) and a low-fat diet lead to the same results regarding weight loss.

In fact, different diets, such as the Mediterranean diet, low glycemic diet, Paleo diet, and high blood pressure diet tend to lead to the same results, regarding weight loss.

Furthermore, if you eat whole-grain foods, you’ll be able to reduce your calorie intake and stay without eating for longer periods of time. Of course, this will happen if you combine them with vegetables and proteins. In addition, this type of diet will reduce your anxiety levels.

Eating fruit after meals makes you gain weight: one of the myths about weight loss

It doesn’t matter what time of the day you eat fruit. If you do it between hours, you’ll eat less during the most important meals, because fruit is quite satisfying. On the other hand, if you eat fruit after your meals, you’ll spend more time without eating before your next meal. Besides, some fruits, such as papaya or pineapple, include enzymes that promote digestion.

However, the natural sugar present in certain fruits may cause fructose malabsorption. Besides, when combining them with vegetables, you may suffer from abdominal bloating or flatulence. In this case, you should eat fruit during the morning or as an afternoon snack.

Light or fat-free foods are a good choice to lose weight

First of all, do you know what light means? It’s a product with a 30 percent reduction of calories, fats, or hydrates. However, skim products, which are usually dairy products, are fat-free products.

Notwithstanding, you should bear in mind that, in order to maintain the pleasant feeling you experience while eating these products, nutrient reduction is replaced. For example, fat is replaced by sugar and vice versa. However, since sugar-free products became popular, companies started using artificial sweeteners instead.

Apparently, when consuming these products, people tend to eat more. As a result, there’s an energetic intake increase. And, finally, there’s weight and fat gain.

In addition, dairy fat is quite satisfying. Therefore, a diet high in good fats is more effective than a low-fat diet.

Eating nuts makes you gain weight, another myth about weight loss

Even though nuts are high in calories (at least every 3.5 ounces), they promote weight loss. This is because they’re high-fat foods. But, why does this happen? One of the reasons is that the recommended intake amount is between 89.35 to 119 calories a day, which is much lower than the calories a croissant contains.

On the other hand, fats are healthy because they help reduce inflammation and cholesterol levels. Besides, they contain high amounts of fiber, which promotes fullness and proper bowel movement. This is why it’s a good idea to have a handful of nuts if you want to lose weight.

What can we do about these myths regarding weight loss?

Finally, remember that if you want to lose weight, you should change your habits and be consistent through time. And, in case you listen to information that seems to be a myth about weight loss, ask your nutritionist all the questions you need. A specialist will have all the answers.