Weight Loss Myths!

You don’t need to count calories if you’re cutting carbs, eliminating fat or eating the right mixture of foods.
Calories absolutely matter. Calories are like the currency of weight and, like price tags, knowing calories can help guide choice. Theoretically, you need to consume 500 fewer calories a day to lose one pound a week. Generally speaking, a safe calorie level for women is 1400 to 1600 per day and for men, 1800 to 2200.

Carbohydrates make you fat.
Carbohydrates don’t make you fat, unless you eat them in large portions. That said, not all carbs are created equal. Research shows that regular intake of whole grains helps guard against heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Limiting refined sugars and white starches -- carbohydrates that are quickly digested -- can delay hunger. Slowly digested carbohydrates such as brown rice, steel-cut oats and whole grain rye bread can help you maintain a weight loss.

It’s best to avoid the scale when losing weight.
Weighing in allows you to measure your progress. Seeing your efforts reflected on the bathroom scale motivates you to stick to your plan. On the flip side, if the scale doesn’t budge, or if the needle creeps up after the weekend, you’ll be inclined to follow your plan more closely. Weigh yourself once a week. If you weigh more often, remember that daily fluctuations, mostly due to water weight, are normal.

You don’t need to worry about food if you’re exercising.
It takes a lot of exercise to generate a calorie deficit large enough to impact the bathroom scale. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, it takes roughly 35 minutes of jogging, 75 minutes of brisk walking, or 110 minutes of weightlifting to burn 500 calories. You’ll need to do that every day to lose a pound each week. (Plus, it’s easy to justify eating a little more if you’ve worked out, a common mistake that can hinder weight loss.)

You shouldn't eat after 8pm
What matters is the number of calories you eat, not when you eat them. Some research also suggests that we burn fewer calories digesting an evening meal than a daytime meal. If your schedule doesn’t allow you to eat before 8 p.m.., have a smaller meal that’s easier to digest.

Certain foods or beverages help burn calories
I’m afraid there’s no evidence that any one food, beverage or supplement (e.g. grapefruit, celery, green tea, apple cider vinegar) accelerates weight loss by speeding up your metabolism. The best way to increase metabolism and therefore elevate calorie burning is through exercise – either high intensity, long duration cardio or weight lifting that builds muscle mass.

Combining carbs and protein will hinder weight loss
The theory goes that since protein and carbohydrates require different enzymes for digestion, if you eat them together, they won’t be digested properly and toxins will form that cause you to gain body fat. The truth is your digestive tract can handle a variety of food groups at the same time. There’s no proof that eating protein and carbohydrates separately aids weight loss.

When losing weight, only eat when you’re hungry
It might sound like good advice but skipping a meal or snack because you don’t feel hungry at the time can cause you to feel overly hungry later on – which usually leads to overeating.

Drinking coffee helps you lose weight
Coffee may temporarily rein in your appetite but drinking a couple of cups a day won't have enough of an effect to accelerate weight loss. (And contrary to popular belief, coffee also won’t boost your metabolism.) If you’re trying to lose weight, enjoy your coffee black or with a little milk. If you use sugar, stick to one teaspoon (only 16 calories).

A high protein/low carb diet is the best way to lose weight
Studies lasting six months have demonstrated that low carb dieters lose more weight, and at a faster rate, than those who follow a low fat, high carbohydrate plan. But there appears to be no difference in pounds lost between the two diets after one year. This suggests a high protein/low carb plan might be hard to stick to for the long term.