Embarking on a weight loss journey can be challenging, and it’s not helped by the many myths and misconceptions that are often shared and advertised. Many of these myths exist due to long outdated information, though others may stem from marketing strategies designed to sell a quick fix and unrealistic expectations. Through this blog, we will work on separating the fact from fiction, busting the most common weight loss myths, ensuring you have a clearer understanding and the right knowledge to help you be most successful on your journey.
Myth 1: Carbs Are The Enemy
If I had a penny for every time I’ve heard this one….
One of the most widespread myths is that carbohydrates are bad for us and must be cut out in order to lose weight. Although excessive intake of carbohydrates, especially refined options such as white bread and sugary foods, can contribute to weight gain, this does not apply to the entire carbohydrate group as a whole.
Carbohydrates are a macronutrient, along with proteins and fats. When we consume foods that contain carbohydrates, they are broken down into glucose, which is a sugar that is the body’s primary source of fuel. This fuel helps support our muscles, brain, all other organs and much more. The key is choosing better types of carbohydrates to support the best type of energy production for the body. These are wholegrain carbohydrates, options that contain fibre such as fruits and vegetables, pulses and legumes. Not only does the fibre help to support healthy digestion of the carbohydrates, but the vitamins & minerals these more complex carbohydrates contain are essential for life.
Cutting down on a food group like carbohydrates can be an effective strategy for weight loss. Because you are cutting out certain foods, you are likely to be eating less overall, and therefore this will lead to weight loss. However, cutting out proteins or fats will also do the same. When cutting out carbohydrates as a weight loss method was compared to other forms of diets, there is no benefit found to eliminating carbohydrates vs other methods, when calories are controlled. The more important factor is long term sustainability and adherence to the plan. Cutting out carbohydrates for long is unlikely to be sustainable (or enjoyable!) for many people, especially when you realise how many foods carbohydrates can be found in. Rather, think of carbohydrates as an important component of the diet, for which you need to find the right balance with other food groups for sustainable and realistic weight loss.
Myth 2: You need to eat low fat only
It was once recommended (a long time ago!) to adopt a low fat or fat free diet in order to lose weight. It makes sense, given that fat provides more calories compared to proteins and carbohydrates. However, from newer and high quality research, we know that consuming a low fat diet is no superior to any other diet, when calories are controlled. In fact, following a low fat diet will most likely lead to deprivation, feelings of unsatisfaction and even increased risk of developing nutrient deficiencies. Although it’s been years since the low and no fat diets have been popularised, there are still many low and 0% fat products on the markets, constantly being advertised.
To understand this more, it’s important to look at what fat is. As with carbohydrates, fat is a macronutrient, and it is essential to support all body cell production and function, hormone production and also is important in nutrient absorption. There are various types of fats. Most commonly the healthier fats, known as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, are found in oily fish, nuts, seeds, avocado and olive oil. These are incredibly important for the health, can support a healthy heart and provide satisfaction. The other fats which are not as healthy, are a high intake of saturated fats, and trans fats. These types of fats should be limited, as a high intake of these can increase risk of heart disease and other health issues.
Research has shown that diets that provide a regular supply healthy fats are associated with better weight management and health outcomes. This is because these fats are satisfying, allowing us to feel fuller for longer and reducing the tendency to overeat. These healthier fat sources are encouraged in the Mediterranean diet, which is often claimed to be the best diet for healthy and sustainable weight loss.
Lower fat products, such as flavoured 0% fat yoghurts and low fat spreads, are instead higher in other ingredients to compensate for the missing fats. This is likely to be sugar or extra flavourings and preservatives, which in themselves have negative health connotations. People who consume lower fat products more regularly can feel less satisfied, which can then lead to a risk of overeating in other foods, which will hinder weight loss progress.
Myth 3: Healthy eating is too expensive
The rising cost of living has affected everyone in some ways, though it’s certainly impacted some more than others. Therefore, the cost of healthy eating is often a barrier that some claim stops them from being able to make better choices. Although it can seem like buying raw ingredients and cooking from scratch can be more expensive than relying on ready prepared meals that are most often on offer, there are certain factors that can make it more realistic to eat well, even when you are on a budget.
Firstly, be sure to write a shopping list and stick to it. This will prevent unnecessary spending on products that can go to waste. Next, ensure you stick to supermarket own brands, and also invest in a good range of frozen fruits and vegetables. The latter are still very nutritious, they will last a lot longer and help reduce waste. Think about buying dried or tinned pulses and beans, as these are inexpensive and can add so much nutrition and bulk to meals. Read more in our eating well for a budget blog here.
Myth 4: Skipping meals and fasting is better than three meals a day
Many believe that intentionally skipping meals or fasting for periods of time is better than having regular meals for weight loss. Whilst fasting can have it’s benefits, this is a myth that is oversimplified.
Fasting, mainly intermittent fasting (usually a 14-18 hour window of overnight fasting), can help to create a calorie deficit, however it is not superior to other calorie deficit measures. The effectiveness greatly depends on several factors, such as a person’s preferences, lifestyle and overall diet quality. For some, prolonged fasting or skipping meals can backfire, increasing hunger, making it harder to make healthier food choices, leading to potentially overeating during their next meal. Some may also find skipping meals and fasting has a negative influence such as feelings of fatigue, irritability and difficulty concentrating, which makes it unsustainable.
Fasting may be a lifestyle that some can adopt, however it is not the best way and is not superior to other methods. The key is to find a sustainable option for you.
Myth 5: Fat burning foods and supplements are important
If you look at the weight loss industry, you will see all sorts of products and offers available that promise fast results, from fat burners, detox teas and weight loss pills. These often come with bold claims and good marketing, but provide little to no evidence. In fact, most supplements and fat burning food claims lack any scientific backing and can sometimes be harmful.
For example, certain fat burners contain stimulants, which for some can worsen anxiety and heart rate, and to digestive issues, without any benefit of weight loss. Detox teas often contain laxatives, meaning you will be losing weight, but it will be water weight rather than actual fat loss, which is far more dangerous when relied on.
Some foods, such as chilli or coffee, have claims that they can increase your calorie burn, leading to weight loss. And whilst a small amount of research shows capsaicin (the active ingredient in chilli) can temporarily increase metabolism, this is minimal and short lasting, which provides no net effect to weight loss. Some even claim that cinnamon can increase fat burning. Although, there are promising links between regular cinnamon consumption and improvements in total cholesterol levels, this does not lead to significant weight loss.
Myth 6: All calories are equal
It’s often said that a calorie is a calorie. However, this is incredibly oversimplified for the complex nature of calories, nutrition and metabolism. A calorie is a measure of energy, but the source of the calorie can make a difference. And the way that our body reacts to calories can be very different. For example, if you consumed 100 calories from chocolate, this would lead to a quick spike in blood sugar followed by a rapid crash, likely making you want to eat more and over- consume calories. However, 100 calories of chicken is high in protein and provides some healthy fats, meaning your blood sugars are more stable, you feel satisfied for longer and are less likely to want to overeat.
Certain foods also can have a slight influence on metabolism. This is known as the thermic effect of food (TEF), which essentially means that the body needs to use more energy to break down and digest this food. Protein has the highest TEF out of all nutrients, meaning the body uses more energy to break down a high protein diet. In fact, the TEF of protein can be up to 30%, whereas carbohydrates are up to 8% and fat is just 2%. This is why a protein rich diet is recommended when focusing on weight loss – this helps not only with satisfaction and improving the TEF, but also preventing any muscle mass loss whilst prioritising fat loss.
Calorie absorption can also be impacted by the presence of fibre in foods. Fibre can reduce the absorption of calories, as it is not able to be digested by the body and therefore does not contribute significantly to the calorie intake. Fibre rich foods also contribute to satiety levels, helping us to feel fuller, which can reduce the overall amount eaten compared to a low fibre meal.
Myth 7: Weight loss is all down to willpower
You may have been told before that you lack the willpower to lose weight. But this ignores the extreme complexity of how weight is controlled by the brain and body, and the influences of human biology and behaviour. Although you can be led to believe that you have full control in what you eat, and those who eat more are greedy and lack will power, the fact is that our appetite regulation is not something we are able to fully control.
Leptin is a hormone that regulates our appetite via pathways in the brain, triggered by the action of eating. The more leptin, the more you will have the feeling of fullness and therefore stop eating. However, it’s been shown that some people have altered or damaged pathways, leading to increased appetite signals, which can lead to further food consumption than required, leading to weight gain. This is largely down to genetics, which unfortunately is not something that we can change! Genetics also have a role to play in how effectively your body stores fat and burns energy.
Rather than lack of willpower, the environment can also be a huge influence in our weight. There is still a barrier of access to healthy food for many, meaning that processed and unhealthier food options may be more accessible to some.
Whilst willpower can contribute to someone sustaining their changes, it’s important to consider all the other influences on our weight. Changing your habits rather than focusing on short term, unrealistic goals is key, as often people have expectations which are unachievable and will just be disappointed when they are not met. True healthy weight loss is much slower than people want, which can then make it all too easy to go for a quick fix and end up in a cycle of disappointment. Instead, concentrate on small but sustainable habit change, to be able to maintain what you do and build it into daily lifestyle and routine, where willpower is far less of a factor.
If you are looking to work with a professional to support you in losing weight for good, reach out to our team of registered dietitians to find out how they can best help you put together a customised nutrition and lifestyle plan, as well as providing ongoing support to make sustainable change for life.