Weight loss is often a difficult process, made even more challenging by misinformation spread online and through family and friends. The good news is that losing weight doesn’t have to be a painful process, but first, you’ll need to bust any myths about food that may be holding you back.
Myth 1: Eating after 7:00pm Causes Weight Gain
Some journals claim that eating at night will cause you to gain more weight than eating in the morning or the afternoon. However, there is no conclusive evidence that supports the myth that the timing of meals affects weight gain. In fact, what you eat is much more important than when you eat.
Myth 2: Eat More Protein and You’ll Lose Weight
There is no single food that can serve as the magic solution for weight gain. While it’s true that eating more foods with lean protein will leave you feeling full and satisfied longer than eating simple carbohydrates, it is still important to have a balanced intake of protein, healthy carbs, fiber, and other nutrients to lose weight and stay healthy. Additionally, restrictive diets like the carnivore diet are often difficult to sustain over a long period of time. A good nutrition plan that meets your needs and your lifestyle is a far more effective tool for weight loss.
Myth 3: You Can Eat as Much “Healthy” Food as You Want
When we think of foods that lead to weight gain, we often picture donuts or cookies, but any food eaten without moderation can lead to weight gain. This misconception that only certain foods lead to weight gain often hinders individuals in their weight loss journey.
The food we often deem “healthy” also may not be as healthy as we think. A salad with too much dressing, could have the same number of calories as a cup of ice cream. To make matters more complicated, corporations spend millions of dollars every year convincing the public that their food product is healthy. Buzzwords like gluten-free, organic, hormone-free, zero sugar, or natural make many foods seem healthier than they are.
Myth 4: Your Diet Doesn’t Matter as Long as You Exercise More
Exercise is great for our blood pressure, sleep health, mental health, and more, but oftentimes diet factors more into our weight loss than exercise. To live a healthy life, our bodies require a healthy diet and exercise. Focusing on only exercise and neglecting your diet will likely result in unfavorable weight loss results and frustration. Furthermore, nourishing your body with a nutritious diet will boost your energy levels and enhance your fitness objectives.
Myth 5: Skipping Meals Will Make You Lose Weight
Contrary to popular belief, skipping meals can lead to overeating. By skipping a meal, like breakfast, you slow down your body’s metabolism. This tells your body it needs less energy to function, causing it to burn less calories. In fact, according to one study from the National Library of Medicine, low eating frequency was one of the dietary risk factors associated with those who are overweight or obese. Additionally, the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study found a strong correlation between skipping breakfast and the incidence of obesity.
Myth 6: You Have to Give Up the Foods You Like to Lose Weight
There’s a common misconception that in order to lose weight, you’ll need to give up all the foods you enjoy eating and stick to salads or chicken breast and broccoli. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, the most sustainable weight loss strategies often revolve around integrating your favorite foods into your diet in a healthier way, whether through smaller portions or by pairing them with other nutritious foods for a well-balanced diet. If you can’t have the foods you enjoy in your diet it’s also that much harder to sustain that diet over time. With the right control over the foods you like, you don’t have to sacrifice as much to lose weight.
Myth 7: There’s Only One Way to Lose Weight
Anyone trying to sell you the one miracle product or fad diet that has helped everyone lose weight is probably out to scam you. The truth of the matter is that we are all different, our bodies are different, and the weight loss process will look very different from one person to the next. Many get discouraged when they see someone else succeed with a weight loss technique that hasn’t worked for them, but that shouldn’t be something that stops you from pursuing your weight loss goals.
Developing an individualized nutrition plan that is sustainable can be challenging on your own. The good news is that help is just around the corner. A registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) can support you in reaching your weight loss goals by repairing your relationship with food, showing you ways to incorporate your favorite foods into a balanced diet, and considering your unique culture and lifestyle factors. Weight loss is a journey, but not one you need to travel alone.
Diet & Weight Loss Services in Hampton Roads, VA
Contact TPMG Nutrition Services and make an appointment with our registered dietician nutritionists in Newport News, Williamsburg, Suffolk, Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, VA to learn more about how you can get started on your weight loss journey.
About Gale Pearson, MS, RDN, CDCES
Gale Pearson, MS, RDN, CDCES is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator with over 25 years of experience working with patients on dietary and nutrition wellness planning. Gale received her undergraduate degree from Hampton University and her Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from Howard University.
With extensive experience in nutrition counseling, Gale works with her patients to develop strategies to improve their eating habits and lifestyles, in turn helping them to manage their weight and medical conditions. She credits witnessing her patients’ symptoms and overall health improvement as a result of the lifestyle changes as one of the most gratifying and rewarding aspects of her career.
At TPMG Nutrition Services in Newport News and Williamsburg, Gale provides one-on-one consultations, nutrition and weight management counseling, and diabetes education.
