There are so many different diet plans around. Trends come and go but the desire of people to get slimmer, look and feel better is eternal. Often this desire gets used by unprofessional or frankly dishonest people that promise fast results without considering the person’s individual health conditions.
Many people mistakenly think that every diet plan works similarly for all people and there are universal principles that always bring results. This mistake is dangerous not only because of the disappointment with the result. Poor diet choices can affect your body’s metabolism, cause gastrointestinal issues, and even trigger an eating disorder.
This is why you should never forget about common sense while choosing yourself a diet plan and filter information you receive about slimming. There is a lot of outdated myths and unapproved methods people believe in. Let’s find out what’s wrong with popular advice on weight loss. Maybe this will make you rethink all that you know about it.
Stop Believing in These Myths!
We have collected the most popular myths about weight loss and we have something to say against them all. Consultation with a qualified dietitian, critical thinking and self-education will help you avoid being fooled.
The fewer calories, the better
A low-calorie diet can give you the results you want to see but it won’t last long. It puts a great stress on your body that may make it want to save calories. Therefore, as soon as you are back to your usual diet, you will gain your weight back in a short amount of time. In addition, it’s very difficult not to cheat on such a diet plan, because you will feel hungry, weak and irritated. And guess what will happen with your occasional “cheat” meal. Yes, it will go straight into calorie storage on your hips or belly.
Detoxify it!
Different detox programs have become so popular recently. Not only will they not make you lose weight simply by cleansing your body from toxins, as they promise, they actually won’t remove any toxins from your body. All of us already have a mechanism for detoxifying our bodies that is active 24/7. It’s called the liver. It’s the only thing that really processes and removes toxic substances from our bodies. Any other attempts to detoxify it are, at best, useless. If you want some detox method that will be really helpful, detoxify your informational space from such types of fake promises.
Not eating after 6 pm
Yes, it’s true that it’s better not to eat before sleep. In the evening, our metabolic processes slow down and the food is more likely to turn into fat. But let’s be honest, not many people go to sleep that early. What to do if you work at night shifts? You can eat after 6 pm if your daily schedule demands it but let it be something light, low in calories and rich in protein to keep you satiated. And this shouldn’t happen right before you sleep, at least several hours before sleep. In addition, long breaks between meals slow down metabolism and lead to gastrointestinal problems.
Slow carbohydrates won’t make you gain weight
It’s true that slow carbohydrates are good because they can provide your body with energy for a longer time. But this works only if you consume them in the first half of the day when you are active and move more. Eating carbs in the evening and then laying down on a couch to watch Netflix or sleep won’t give them the necessary physical activity to get burned as fuel. They will go right into storage, and you already know how this storage looks like.
Go meatless and you’ll get slim
Vegetarian and vegan diets are very popular today because people want to be ethical and conscious about nature and everything living. Some also believe that a meatless diet will help them get slimmer. They have a point because meat is high in calories. But if this meat is lean, these calories are mostly protein that builds our muscles which burn fat and is an important part of a healthy diet. You can go vegetarian or even vegan if you feel like but don’t hope that going meatless will make you slimmer if you don’t control your portion size, overeat and your menu is packed with carbohydrates.
You can eat as much as you want if the food is healthy
Even if you only eat products that are low in calories and rich in important nutrients, it’s not an excuse for overeating. They still have calories. The human body can digest only a limited amount of nutrients at a time. All the excess will be sent to storage no matter how good and valuable these products are for your body. In addition, big portions of food make your stomach increase in size which will keep aggravating the problem of overeating and will make you gain weight.
A diet alone is enough to get slim
Proper diet is really the most helpful thing if you want to lose weight but to make it work, you should correct not only your daily menu but your entire lifestyle. If your daily routine doesn’t include physical exercise, proper sleep, and hydration, if your life is full of stress or you have any chronic illnesses, the result may differ from what you expected. Sleep and hydration are especially important. If you don’t have enough sleep, hormones in your body will make you hungrier and more exposed to stress-eating. If you don’t drink enough water, your body will store it and there will be swelling. Everything in our body is connected, you can’t fix one thing without adjusting others.
Still Doesn’t Work?
If you do everything right, you don’t fall for misinformation and fake promises, and still don’t lose weight, the reason may be deeper than just an improper diet plan. Some diseases and medications may make you gain weight. If you don’t take any medications at the moment, make an appointment with your doctor and go through health diagnostics. A problem with weight loss may be caused by such things as hormonal imbalance.
You should also be attentive to what your body feels. If you follow a certain diet plan and feel bad, you should contact your dietitian and ask for advice. Maybe this diet plan isn’t appropriate for you. Even if you are a completely healthy person, each body is unique and may have different reactions to the same food. Don’t tolerate discomfort and look for a solution.
Weight loss for men can be made difficult by a habit of drinking beer. This drink is brewed from hop that contains phytoestrogens that can induce weight gain according to a “female type”. This means massive belly, hips and “male boobs”. Therefore, no matter how hard you worked in the gym and how many chicken breasts you have eaten, beer can ruin the results of your hard effort.
For women, a little weight gain before menstruation is a normal thing. You can even visually notice changes in weight. It’s usually very frustrating for women to see that their body has expanded. But it’s an absolutely normal thing during this time of the month. Hormonal balance changes and body stores more fluid than usual. As soon as your menstruation will be over, your body will release this fluid and you will be able to see your real weight.
It is important not to get desperate when you see premenstrual weight gain and resist the temptation to indulge yourself with unhealthy food after such disappointment. You don’t want to gain more weight, right? A small piece of bitter chocolate will boost your brain with some endorphins and will help you get through this difficult time of the month.
