When it comes to weight loss, the amount of information available is staggering. From online sources to your friends, everyone has a say on what works best for reducing weight. Trusting these online sources or social media can harm you in the long run instead of helping you lose weight.

It is very important to lose weight in a healthy way as crash diets or programs promising fast weight loss can wreak havoc with your metabolism as well as impact the quality of your hair or skin. A good weight loss program would focus on giving your body the correct nutrition, while cutting down on empty calories and unhealthy foods from your diet.

As much as the right knowledge is necessary for healthy weight loss, shedding out the popular myths surrounding weight loss is also very important. Let us look at them one by one.

Skipping meals leads to weight loss

Skipping meals and consuming very low calorie meal plans can bring down your metabolism. The body would be deprived of essential nutrients and it might lead to hair-fall, fatigue and a host of other issues. Cutting too much calories could also lead to losing muscle mass which will cause more harm in the long run and cause to regain weight. Focus on eating wholesome foods rather than just cutting down meals.

All calories are equal

A calorie is a measurement of energy that we get from food. Our body treats different sources of foods differently. Carbohydrates tend to be used up more easily by the body as compared to the fats or proteins. Similarly, foods with more fiber content are metabolized differently than foods, which have more refined grains. Bottom-line is that, not all calorie sources have the same effect on your health and weight.

Eat less, move more

Body fat is simply stored energy. To lose fat, you need to burn more calories than you take in. For this reason, it seems only logical that eating less and moving more would cause weight loss. However, it does not apply to everyone who has to lose weight. Losing weight is a complex issue everyone cannot be treated in the same way.

Sugar free foods

Products containing artificial sweeteners may have low calories, but are they nutritionally satisfying your body? A lot of junk food is marked as healthy and it is important to read and understand nutrition labels before you buy food. You might end up eating higher amounts of packaged and processed foods with little nutrition. Taking artificial sweeteners might not always lead to weight loss.

Not All fats are bad

Not all fats are bad; in fact, some of the polyunsaturated fats like ghee, coconut oil, nuts etc. can help you in your weight loss journey.

All carbs are bad

Carbohydrates have a bad reputation among people hoping to lose weight.  However, carbohydrates through whole grains and fruits are essential for a healthy body. Moreover, throwing out one full food group from your diet is not good for weight reduction as it is not sustainable long term.

Weight loss is fast

Many people look for fast results when it comes to weight loss. The truth is we did not put on weight overnight; similarly, the kgs are also not going to drop off overnight. Weight is actually a symptom of a much bigger root cause and it takes time to work on the root cause and fix the issue permanently. When the body is given enough nutrition and time to heal itself, the weight will drop off.

Thin people are healthy

It is true that obesity increases your risk of several chronic illnesses, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. However, plenty of people with obesity are metabolically healthy — and plenty of thin people have these same chronic diseases because of other underlying conditions like hidden fats. It is important to follow a healthy lifestyle irrespective of whether you are fat or thin.

Any weight loss is good

If we see a sudden drop in our weight, that’s not a cause for joy always. It matters whether the weight we lost was from fat, muscle or it was simple water loss. That’s why it is very important to take professional guidance while starting a weight loss program. Wrong food or exercise decisions can lead to the wrong kind of weight loss and you might see a rebound.

The bottom line

If you are trying to lose weight, you may have heard many of the same myths. You may have even believed some of them, as they are being talked about by social media and other sources. The relationship between food, your body, and your weight is very complex and one single thing would not probably fix your issue.