8 Weight Loss Myths Debunked
- Cindy Pole
- Jul 26, 2017
- 5 min read
One of the challenges with the Internet and its ability to disseminate messages instantly is that we have endless information right at our fingertips.
Don’t get me wrong, this is amazing for obvious reasons, but when it comes to weight loss information, it can become hard to tell fact from fiction.
There are many myths about weight loss floating around on the World Wide Web, so I’m going to shed some light on several common ones:
1. Counting calories is an effective way to lose weight
There are definitely some benefits to counting calories, in particular when we use a macro counting approach. However, what calorie counting does is perpetuate the myth that all calories are equal.
A calorie is a unit of energy in a given food. Nevertheless, not every calorie has the same effect on everyone’s body. An example is the way that food affects your regulating hormones that help with weight loss, as well as how they affect your hunger. Therefore, the calories that come from eating a slice of white bread have a different response on your body from the equivalent amount of calories in eating carrots.
The same is true for when we eat calories coming from a protein source such as chicken versus a fat source like nuts. It is better to look at foods in terms of their nutrient density instead of caloric value.
2. Doing XYZ will result in continuous weight loss
Weight loss is not a straight process. I like to think it of it as a highway. We want to get from point A to point B, but like all highways, we sometimes hit delays and detours. Some days you will lose more weight, sometimes it will stall, and sometimes you will see inches coming off instead of pounds.
We can’t control the what, the how or the rate at which we lose weight, but we can control our behaviours that contribute to our overall weight loss goals.
Stepping on the scale is not always the best indicator of what is going on. Some of my clients will jump on the scale and feel thrilled with the number, and then all of a sudden the next morning those numbers are back up. Then they do the question cycle of “Did I eat a lot of carbs? Am I on my period? Is it just water retention?” Etc.
We want to focus on progress in the right direction. Understand that setbacks happen – just get back on the highway and keep going!
3. Supplements help with weight loss
I like to think of supplements as a diet enhancer, not a replacement for food. They should optimize your goals, not be the meal itself. The weight loss supplement industry is huge, and companies make all sorts of wild claims with their gigantic marketing budgets that feed on our desperation. That being said, with proper nutrition and a great exercise program, supplements can be of added benefit and help enhance your results. My top recommendations include: Protein powders, fish oil, veggie green supplements, a digestive enzyme and a probiotic. There are others I include too, like magnesium, B100, Vitamin D and CLA.
4. Weight loss is impossible without willpower and good genes
Willpower is a skill you can teach yourself. I know it seems like some people have endless supplies of it, but that isn’t true. Willpower is exhaustible for anyone. And when it comes to your genes, they are only part of the story. Sure, there are genetic variables such as PCOS, depression and hypothyroidism that make weight loss more of a struggle for some of us. There are also hormonal imbalances that can make weight loss more challenging. Don’t give up and accept your genetic fate. Losing weight is still possible, regardless of your genetic makeup!
5. Eating like a bird and moving like a cheetah is an effective weight loss technique
Let me break it down for you: body fat is simply stored energy, AKA calories. To lose fat, more calories need to leave our body than enter it. From an energy balance perspective, it makes sense that the “eat less, move more” weight loss myth continues.
However, much like the calorie myth, we want to maintain an optimal energy balance that won’t negatively affect our metabolism, hormonal balance, mood etc. The more we work out, the harder we work out, the more we want muscle - the more we need to eat! Muscles are metabolically active – a fancy way of saying that they require a lot more calories to maintain.
Bottom line: don’t think about quantity - think about quality of food and the nutrients it provides your body with.
6. If it worked in the past, it will work in the future
You may have had some success with a particular fad diet in the past, but life has not stood still in the meantime. Your hormones may have changed, your lifestyle might be different, including stress patterns and sleep habits…in short, if you expect to get the same results from an approach that worked in the past, you’re assuming that you haven’t changed at all. And if it worked so well…you wouldn’t be reading this, would you?
7. Eating diet foods that say “low-fat" and “fat-free” will help with weight loss
Oh, that low-fat, fat-free craze and those clever marketing techniques that had us all believing! But when we know different, we do different. What we often forget to ask is if they are taking something out, what are they putting in? Again, looking for these types of foods may seem more appealing when we use a calorie counting approach, but you could be missing a vital piece of the puzzle. Common additives or replacement ingredients in products marketed as low fat or fat-free include added sodium and sweeteners. I always giggle when bags of chips state “cholesterol free” - when did they have cholesterol in the first place?
8. Following low-carb, low-fat diets will result in weight loss
Poor carbohydrates – they’ve gotten such a bad rap in the past, along with their buddy, fats.
But let’s put the record straight: fats do not make you fat and neither do carbs!
Just like our friend calories, not all carbs are created equal. We know when it comes to weight loss or building muscle, we want to choose our carbs carefully. We want to go for carbs that offer more nutritional value and are vitamin rich, such as fibre. We also want to optimize when we eat them. For example, we know that we can use carbs more efficiently when we eat them pre- and post- workout. The key here is adding them with a protein.
So carbs don’t make us fat per se, but we know that refined carbs, which is all those that are higher in sugar content, can contribute to weight gain. When it comes to fats, there are simply more calories per gram. Knowing this, you should probably think twice before attacking that jar of peanut butter with a spoon. But don’t get me wrong - fats are important in our diet.
Of course hiring a coach is always a wise idea. The right coach can help you customize a plan that fits your goals, body type and lifestyle. Not only this, but they can continue to help you debunk these myths and ultimately reach your body goals.
Be sure to check out All Out Training's Programs including:
and our new program: Pro-Coach
