Many beliefs about weight loss are still firmly held. However, many of these beliefs are completely unfounded myths, some myths may have a small grain of truth in them, and a fraction of myths are actually true and have been tested. Which myths are true and which are myths will now be explained.

Myth 1

Eating after six in the evening makes you fat

TARUA

No specific time of day determines whether or not food makes you fat. Weight gain or loss is always primarily influenced by the amount of energy in the food. If more energy is provided than is consumed, the excess energy is converted into fat and accumulates in the body. In this case, weight increases.

But there is a little truth to the myth: if you eat badly during the day, you will be twice as hungry in the evening. It's easy to eat more than you need to, and you're more likely to eat unhealthy, high-calorie foods. Also, during the evening binge, you may noticeably eat more than you intended to.

Myth 2

Eat plenty of protein when losing weight

DETAILS

Protein keeps you satiated and helps maintain muscle tissue during weight loss. Of course, there is a limit to what you can eat, and too much protein is bad for your body. The body also needs good fats and carbohydrates.

When losing weight, protein sources can be slightly increased while cutting back on carbohydrates and/or fats. Protein should be eaten at every meal and low-fat foods such as chicken, curd, cottage cheese or eggs should be chosen as a source of protein. It is also a good idea to ensure adequate protein intake after weight loss.

Myth 3

When losing weight, eat small portions often

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The most important thing is to keep a regular and steady eating rhythm, so that hunger doesn't get the better of you. With less energy coming in during the day than before, eating smaller portions more often can help to keep hunger at bay. However, this is not necessary if you eat large enough portions of healthy ingredients less frequently. Again, the most important thing is to remember the amount of energy you eat during the day. For most people, 4-5 meals a day is enough, leaving 3-4 hours between meals.

Myth 4

Carbohydrates make you fat

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Gaining weight is not so much about what you eat, but how much you eat. Even if you eat only carbohydrates, you won't gain weight if the amount of energy you get from carbohydrates stays within the limits of your intake. However, it is easy to overeat carbohydrates because they don't keep you hungry in the same way as protein.

Myth 5

Fruits contain sugar and therefore should not be eaten when losing weight

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It is true that fruit contains sugar, but that does not make it unhealthy. So fruit is certainly not something to avoid when losing weight, but avoiding added sugar is perfectly reasonable.

The sugar in fruit affects the body differently from the sugar in a bag of sweets, for example. Fruit provides good energy for exercise, for example. Fruit also provides water, fibre, vitamins and antioxidants. So there are more benefits to eating fruit than not eating it.

Myth 6

Increasing your physical activity will also help you lose weight

IN SOME CASES

By far the most important thing in weight loss is diet. If your diet is not right, increasing your physical activity may not help you lose weight. The energy expenditure that exercise increases is small compared to the results that can be obtained by reducing the amount of energy you eat.

Myth 7

Walking is the best fat burning exercise

SOMETIMES ACTUAL

Any kind of exercise is good for your health and can speed up weight loss when combined with diet. However, walking and other forms of long-duration exercise are better options for energy expenditure and fat burning than hard, short-duration exercise. Calorie expenditure is determined by time, not pace.

The fat-burning properties of heavy, short-duration workouts such as HIIT are said to be based on post-workout fat burning, which is partly true. However, the energy expenditure during a short HIIT workout is not as high as during an hour's walk. Moreover, given the choice between HIIT or walking, many weight-loss athletes prefer to walk. Exercise should also be enjoyable and motivating.