As 2021 has already begun, many of us might once again be planning to lose weight. When it comes to dieting and weight loss, myths abound. In this article, we examine 10 widespread myths about weight loss, says an article on medicalnewstoday.com.
1. Skipping breakfast leads to weight loss
The saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day may or may not be true, but it seems unlikely that skipping the morning meal will guarantee weight loss. The rationale behind this strategy is that missing one meal per day results in a lower total calorie intake. A study published in 2010 analyzed food intake information from 2,184 people aged 9-15.
Twenty years later, researchers again compared data from people who skipped breakfast throughout childhood and adulthood with data from others who never skipped breakfast or did so only in adulthood. Participants who skipped breakfast during childhood and growing up tended to have a larger waist circumference, higher fasting insulin levels, and higher total cholesterol.
Sometimes people who skip breakfast eat more during the rest of the day to counteract the nutritional deficiency.
A large 2007 study that included more than 25,000 adolescents looked for a link between skipping breakfast and being overweight. The scientists found that skipping breakfast had a stronger association with obesity than alcohol consumption or physical inactivity.
2. There are foods that support weight loss
Some people claim that foods like pineapple, ginger, onion, avocado, asparagus, celery, broccoli, green tea and garlic speed up the body's metabolism, thus helping the body burn fat. There is little scientific evidence that these foods may help with weight loss.
3. Dietary supplements for weight loss can help
Proponents of some nutritional supplements claim that they can also help the body burn fat. In reality, they are generally ineffective, dangerous, or both. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that "hundreds of products have been found that are marketed as dietary supplements but actually contain hidden dangerous ingredients that have been removed from the market or compounds that have not been adequately studied in the people".
4. Low fat in food helps in weight loss
Of course, low-fat foods would likely aid weight loss. However, these products sometimes compensate with added sugar or s alt. Label checking is a key approach.
5. Won't have breakfast after lunch
People often believe that breakfast is a diet sin. While some have celery for breakfast, others are on cookies. A piece of fruit or low-fat yogurt between meals, for example, can reduce appetite. Some studies show that obese people are more likely to eat breakfast than those of normal weight.
In this case, switching from unhe althy to he althy snacks can help with weight loss if that's the goal. In general, the afternoon snack is multifaceted - it can support or hinder weight loss efforts. Older research from 2007 investigated the role of this diet in weight loss.
In the year-long study, researchers asked one group of participants to eat three meals a day without snacking in between. A second group was asked to eat three meals a day and have three snacks a day. People in both groups consumed equivalent amounts of calories each day. At the end of the study, the authors found no difference in weight loss between participants in the two groups. An afternoon snack seems to neither help nor hinder weight loss.
6. No treats allowed
Of course, limiting sugars and fats is important, but eliminating them is unnecessary and can be counterproductive.
7. Some sugars are worse than others
There is a rumor that minimally processed sugars, such as those in maple syrup or honey, are he althier than white sugar. In reality, our bodies process sugar the same way regardless of the source. The intestines convert all sugars into monosaccharides. It is more important to note the amount of sugar in each food. All types of sugar provide about 4 calories per gram of product.
8. Cut sugar out of your diet
Reading the myth above, we know that sugar in general is high in calories. However, a person who wants to lose weight does not need to ruthlessly exclude sugar from their diet. As with all things, moderation is key.
9. Artificial sweeteners are he althy
To reduce sugar intake, many people choose low- or no-calorie sweeteners, such as aspartame. This may reduce the number of calories, but some research has been devoted to the link between artificial sweeteners and weight gain. A systematic review and meta-analysis published in 2017 analyzed 37 existing studies involving a total of 406,910 participants to examine the impact of sweeteners on cardiometabolic he alth. According to the researchers, "observed data suggest that routine intake of artificial sweeteners may be associated with increased body mass index and cardiometabolic risk".
10. This diet is excellent
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) put it succinctly: “Diets restrict your food intake, can be unhe althy, and tend to fail in the long term.”
Losing weight in general can be challenging. Our bodies evolved in a time when access to food was not very easy, so they are programmed to take in energy and store it.
