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There are tons of myths revolving around weight loss and the types of diets that can help you achieve your goals. Due to an abundance of information and fitness standard portrayed by the media and self-proclaimed health professionals, it is becoming more and more perplexing for a common person to find out what sort of diet plan will work for the.
There are myriads of options available with guaranteed success in most cases starting from paleo, vegan, keto, Atkin’s diet plans, and many more. I think it will be wise to go back to the basics of nutrition and some medical facts to get some enlightenment on this conundrum.
3 Common Myths about Weight Loss:
Although carrying excess weight increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke, certain cancers,
back and joint pain, and other unhealthy conditions. Having said that reaching a healthy weight range for
obese people is not an easy job at all.
Here are some key facts which can help people to lose weight and have a better understanding of this important health issue of the modern age.
Myth No. 1: Cutting carbohydrates will lead to weight loss
There are three macronutrients( Carbohydrates, Fats, and Protein ) which all have their own
essential roles in our health therefore cutting out on any one of them is not a good idea at all e.g. as is the
case with Paleo, Atkin, or Keto diet plans.
There are highly processed carbohydrates nowadays with an excess of refined starches or sugars: white bread, white rice, breakfast cereals, refined crackers, potato and corn chips, fries, bakery desserts, sweets, and soda are a few to list. Contrary to that there are healthier options in carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables, minimally processed whole grains, beans, and legumes.
They are essential to provide us with much-needed calories, dietary fiber, and phytochemicals, which have
many positive metabolic effects and are also needed for maintaining a healthy gut microbiome.
Myth No. 2: Fats are all bad
Avoiding fats may seem like a good option for weight loss because fats have more than twice the calories
per gram compared with carbohydrates and protein, but research shows fats include fatty acids, esters and
potential esters of fatty acids.
Most of what we eat as dietary fats consists of triglycerides and some phospholipids. It has been a common perception that fats are not a very desirable part of our diet leading to numerous health problems.
However, with recent research and studies, this dogma is not very convincing anymore because of two
reasons: firstly there are essential fatty acids that have a vital role in our nutrition and also they help in
the absorption of vitamins. Secondly, they supply us with energy.
Myth No. 3: Protein only diet will make us lean
It is not a meat-only diet that will make a person lean but, the consumption and burning of calories
balance is the key to weight loss added to that meat only diet can have detrimental effects on our health in
the long run as it may change our gut good bacteria and can increase cardiovascular risks according to a
publication in the European Journal of Nutrition.
Along with macronutrients selective diet plan which cuts on an entire category of nutrients can also lead
to deficiency of micronutrients which can cause multiple health problems.
The Bottom Line
In summary, it is advisable to have a balanced diet with all the essential macronutrients and micronutrients
and one should not be allured by diet gimmicks lacking enough evidence base, and losing weight is more
to do with burning calories and the amount of intake of calories.
It sounds very simple but, difficult to comply with always have a discussion with your physician to rule out any medical cause of excessive weight before anything else.
Article Written By: Dr. Naveed Aslam, Registered General Physician.
