Navigating the world of weight loss can be a minefield sometimes. It’s mostly agreed that you should cut down on saturated fats and eat a well-balanced diet, as well as move more. But with SO much information on offer, how do we tell fact from fiction and what should we believe will help us lose weight effectively, safely and sustainably?
We thought we’d help you get to the bottom to some of the most common myths in weight loss!
All fast food makes you fat
Ok, so a lot of what we class as ‘fast food’ is high is saturated fat and should be eaten in moderation. However, not all fast food is made equal!
There are loads of high street food chains that provide fast food that is healthy for you! Try going into the coffee shop and picking up a carton of their delicious hot soup, or choosing some sushi in your meal deal instead of a sandwich or instead of that 6” meatball marinara, try out a salad with some lean protein instead.
Next time you find yourself facing a fast food restaurant menu, have a quick internet search on your healthiest option!
You must avoid all carbs on a diet
There is evidence that a low-carbohydrate diet works, but only in the short term. Avoiding carbohydrates long term is not advised as our bodies need them to survive.
Rather than completely omitting them from your diet, where possible, you should look to make 1/3 of your plate complex carbohydrates, such as wholegrain, high fibre or brown versions of rice, pasta, potatoes and bread.
These take longer to digest and provide you with vital fibre in your diet, which helps keep your digestive system ticking along.
‘Diet’ foods will make you thin
Whilst these low-calorie, diet foods tend to be lower in calories, they are also packed with sugar, or sweeteners to hide the fact that they just don’t taste that nice!
Some sweeteners have been linked with damage to the bacteria in your gut, so whilst they might reduce calories, in high doses, they still aren’t great for you.
The best option is to eat a well-balanced diet, filled with natural sugars, such as fruit and make sure you avoid too much sugar or artificial sweetener.
You must drastically cut calories
Severely cutting down your calories might seem like a sure-fire way to lose lbs quickly, but ultimately, it is setting you up for failure.
It might get you noticeable results in a few weeks to simply cut a certain number of calories from your diet, but it can lead to deficiencies and your body being under-fuelled.
Being under-fuelled puts your body in conservation mode and means any foods you do take on, are stored for longer, because your body doesn’t know when it will get more food again to function properly.
Under-fuelling can also cause a decrease in muscle mass. A decrease in muscle mass can slow your metabolism, meaning you’re burning less calories, even in a rested state.
Drinking ‘Slimming’ tea and coffee makes you thin
With the promise of speeding your metabolism and burning off fat, there seems to be some great benefits to slimming teas and coffees.
Splashed all over the pages of slim, beautiful social media influencers, detox drinks are everywhere, but what we don’t talk about is the side effects of these drinks.
Most of these drinks are laxative based, and they simply serve to ‘empty’ your digestive system by making you need the toilet more. The detox drinks have been linked with missed periods, dehydration and in some severe cases, internal organ issues.
We suggest sticking to your lower caffeine, regular teas and coffees.
You can lose weight from a specific area
Sadly, this one is not true. Sure, you can target areas through certain exercises, and lose weight through better eating, but where that weight comes off from is anyone’s guess!
The wonderful thing about humans is all our bodies are unique, but unfortunately, no change in diet, or eating certain foods will burn fat off specific body parts!
At The Slimming Clinic, we don’t believe in drastic changes or fad diets. We base our weight loss programmes on the unique needs of every patient who walks through our clinic doors.
We base our weight loss advice on what is best for you to help you change your life and health for good. By making small adjustments to your lifestyle, it means you can improve your health and weight in a controlled manner, learning ways to integrate your new adjustments with guidance from experts along the way.