Unfortunately, I’ve Fallen For All of Them…
Today I got to thinking about dieting myths-there are a million out there, but which ones do we believe and which ones cause us to fail at our new eating regimens? As I start counting my Weight Watchers points again ever so carefully, I thought I’d share some serious misconceptions that plague us dieters…and yes, I’ve believed practically all of them—so hopefully by reading this, you won’t.
1.Skipping Meals Will Help Me Lose Weight. While it sounds like a good plan, evidence proves that skipping a meal or two will probably make you gain more than you’ll actually lose. The concept is simple, skip a meal, you get hungry and overeat on the next. Choosing to skip a meal also messes with our metabolism and makes us extremely hungry. I never skip breakfast anymore, it makes me feel better and gets my metabolism revved up in the morning.
2. Drinking Milk Will Wreck My Diet. Another diet myth that will actually help you lose weight. In my pre-WW dieting days, I used to avoid milk like the plague. WW demands that you drink at LEAST 2 servings of milk per day, people over 50 and women under 16, 3. Evidence has proven that drinking enough calcium improves weight loss efforts (and it’s good for you).
3. The More Calories I Cut, The More Weight I Lose… Faster. Yes, I’ve been guilty of this one too. Cutting too many calories too soon may help you lose weight, but after about a week, you’re starving and guess what, blowing your diet. Plus, once you’re starving yourself, your metabolism slows down..then you’re both starving and not losing weight and..what’s the point of that?
4. I Can’t EVER Eat My Favorite Foods. If you’ve been reading this blog at all, you know I’ve got a sweet tooth and I have an affliction for Sonic hamburgers AND yes,I’ve tried to throw them all out the window. But going cold turkey can only lead to weight loss back fire. You start craving ALL your favorite foods and then whatdoyouknow, you binge on all of them at once. Treat yourself to an old fave once in a blue moon—it will keep you motivated and probably remind you while you stopped eating the number 1 with extra mayo and fries in the first place. Just remember to write it down (be accountable!) and get back on track ASAP.
5. I Can’t Eat Between Meals. Alas, I’ve believed in this one and tried it too. I can’t (and won’t) eat just 3 meals a day. I get too hungry and head straight for the refrigerator.Plus, eating 3 meals a day doesn’t allow me enough points so I throw in a few healthy snacks and a diet ice cream in for good measure. Plus, eating a healthful snack (think protein bar or tuna and crackers) between meals keeps your blood sugar steady and your metabolism going strong.
Remember, if you get off track, you’re only a meal away from getting back on your weight loss plan, right????