It can be downright confusing when you try to decipher the biggest weight loss myths from the truth. There is so much conflicting information out there that it can simply make your head spin. Just about the time that you feel that you understand what it takes to lose weight, you have to start all over again.
Social Media Spreads Weight Loss Myths
To start, I’m just going to say that I love social media. I sign on using my phone and computer. Some accounts I use practically constantly, others just now and again. But either way, I get a lot out of posting, sharing, commenting and the whole thing. Still, there’s always that downside to social media and that includes spreading weight loss myths.
In fact, I’d say that easily more than half the weight loss myths I’ve ever fallen for have been ones I’ve seen on social media. They look believable. They’re shared by people or brands we know and trust. Because of that, it’s so easy to believe them even when they’re wrong.
It’s what makes it so important for us to become a lot more aware of how to judge what we’re seeing instead of blindly believing it. If you think you’re not affected, you’re likely in for a huge shock. I was. I watched the CrashCourse YouTube series about Navigating Digital Information and found out I hadn’t been taking even the most basic steps to check into what I was seeing or watching. Since then, I’ve actually fallen for weight loss myths and then un-fallen for them within minutes, thank goodness.
Importance of Identifying Myths and Stopping Yourself from Believing Them
Not only that but the biggest weight loss myths can actually have adverse effects in the end. You may think that you are doing all the right things and then suddenly start to gain weight or fall off track so easily. Your body has a different idea and when you try a proven myth then it ends up in diet and weight loss disaster. So it’s time to uncover these myths and shed some light on them once and for all.
The Most Common Dieting and Weight Loss Myths
You have to skip meals to lose weight
This may be one of the biggest weight loss myths that ends up in dire consequences. You try to starve yourself, deprive yourself, and cut down on your food intake in a very dramatic way. Though you think that you are doing what it takes to lose the weight, your body will react in a different and not so wonderful way.
Your brain will send signals to your body to hold onto every ounce of food you eat because it assumes you are starving. So as the body tries to protect you from starvation, you end up gaining weight in the process. Not what you are hoping for and that’s why skipping meals doesn’t work!
Exercise really won’t help you lose weight
This is just crazy as you need exercise to help you take off the weight and keep it off. When you engage in a good well rounded regimen with cardio and strength training then you get to that long term weight loss.
By skipping exercise and instead engaging in a sedentary lifestyle, you end up holding onto the stored fat and flabby areas. So skipping out on exercise will hurt you and therefore engaging in the right types of vigorous exercise can be what makes the true difference.
Removing one food from your diet is really all you need
You hear so many different fads and trends out there and therefore this is one of the biggest weight loss myths to date. By just eliminating carbs or fat or even gluten, you are not going to lose weight.
You may initially lose a bit of water weight, but this trend will not continue. It’s important to enjoy a well rounded diet with all of the right foods to lose the weight and keep it off. Skipping out on any one food group will only make you feel deprived and ultimately mean that you cheat after a while anyhow.
Everyone gains and loses the same way
Don’t believe this for one second as everyone is totally different! Try not to look at others and compare yourself because this will only ever hurt you. This is about assessing your own weight loss issues and then working through them.
Everybody gains weight differently and at different rates and for different reasons. Therefore, your body make up, your lifestyle, and so many other factors dictate how you lose the weight and keep it off for good. This is an individual journey so just try hard to remember that as you work past the biggest weight loss myths out there!