Healthy Dieting Myths and Facts

Nighttime Eating Makes You Fat

Put this diet myth to bed. There's no conclusive proof that late-night meals cause you to put on weight. What we do know is that too many calories cause weight gain, and many night eaters choose high-calorie foods. Still, eating right before bedtime can lead to heartburn and indigestion. So try to stick to regular -- and earlier -- mealtimes.

Some Sugars Are Worse Than Others

Table sugar, honey, and high-fructose corn syrup all have a lot of calories (between 48 and 64 a tablespoon). So far, research shows that our bodies absorb added sugars like high-fructose corn syrup and table sugar in a similar way. Instead of avoiding one particular kind of sugar, try to limit added sugars of any kind, like those in soda, candy, and other sweets.

Coffee Isn't Good for You

This is a recently debunked diet myth. In moderation -- 2 to 3 cups of coffee daily -- coffee is a safe part of a healthy diet. In fact, research suggests coffee may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, gallstones, Parkinson's disease, even some cancers. Keep coffee calories in check, though. Steer clear of trimmings like cream, sugar, and flavored syrups.

The Less Fat You Eat, the Better

Your body needs three nutrients to thrive: protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Yes, fats! Good-for-you fats found in foods like nuts, seeds, and low-fat dairy give you energy, help rebuild cells, and produce needed hormones. The fats to limit or avoid are saturated and trans fats, found in foods like butter, high-fat dairy, red meat, and many processed foods.

Switch to Sea Salt to Reduce Sodium

Think switching to sea salt will save sodium? Sorry, that's a diet myth, too. By weight, gourmet salts have about the same sodium as plain old table salt. Add flavor with herbs and spices instead. Besides, most of the excess sodium in our diets comes not from the salt shaker, but from processed foods like soups, condiments, mixes, cheeses, and canned goods.

Drink More Water to Peel off Pounds

There's no doubt water is vital for your body -- but a weight loss aid? Not really. If drinking water keeps you away from high-calorie drinks, it can certainly help you lose weight. But adding more water to your diet, without changing anything else, makes no difference in lowering the numbers on your scale.

Avoid Processed Grains

We know whole grains are good for us, packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. That doesn't mean you need to ditch all processed grains. Some processed grains are fortified with folic acid -- cereal and pasta are examples. While whole grains are the healthier choice, you can make room for some fortified processed grains, too.

Sugar Makes Kids Hyperactive

This myth is so common it seems impossible that it isn't true. Yet research shows sugar doesn't make kids hyperactive. So why do kids bounce off the walls at birthday parties? It's not the cake; it's probably the environment. Still, pay attention to how much sugar your kids eat. Eating too many sweets leaves little room for healthier food.

Athletes Need a Ton of Protein

Everyone knows an athlete needs extra protein to build strength and muscle, right? Well, not exactly. Most American diets provide plenty of protein -- for athletes and non-athletes alike. The real secret to boosting athletic strength and muscle is to get enough calories and to focus on intense training. Special powders, bars, and supplements need not apply!

Too Much Sugar Causes Diabetes

Worried that your love of cake or candy will lead to diabetes? Stop fretting about this diet myth. If you don't have diabetes, eating sugar won't cause you to get the disease. What does raise your diabetes risk, however, is being overweight and inactive. So do your body a favor: Cut back on the empty, sugary calories, and get moving!

Carbs Lead to Weight Gain

Stop believing this diet myth. Not all carbohydrates are bad for you. But it seems like people lose weight on low-carbohydrate diets, right? Those diets almost always restrict calories, too, and fewer calories add up to fewer pounds over time.

Tips for Spotting Diet Myths

* First, if it sounds too good to be true, it almost definitely is.

* Second, ask yourself, "Who says so?" Is the person making the claim biased? Is the information based on just one small study?

* There’s no secret ingredient to weight loss or maintenance. We've known for a long time that eating right and exercise are what matters.

How fast should you expect to lose weight?

Most experts agree that a safe, healthy rate of weight loss is one to 1 ½ pounds per week. Modification of eating habits along with regular exercise is the most effective way to lose weight over the long term. It is also the ideal way to ensure that the weight stays off.

Starvation diets may result in rapid weight loss, but this weight loss is almost impossible to maintain for most people. When food intake is severely restricted (below approximately 1,200 calories per day), the body begins to adapt to this state of poor nutrition by reducing its metabolic rate, potentially making it even more difficult to lose weight. It is also possible to experience hunger pangs, bouts of hypoglycemia, headaches, and mood changes from overly stringent dieting. These symptoms can result in binge eating and weight gain. Since a highly restrictive diet is almost impossible to maintain for a long time, people who attempt to starve themselves thin often start to gain weight again when they stop dieting.

How to Lose Weight Fast

If you have been waiting for the easiest way to lose weight fast, then you have come to the right place. The following three easy tips to lose weight fast can help you achieve the results you want.

If you have tried to lose weight in the past but have failed or if you were able to lose weight but then gained it back right away, you already know how frustrating weight loss can be. If you are tired of the rollercoaster and would like to not only get fit and lose weight but keep it off for good, then keep reading for the truth about weight loss. Find out why so many other diet plans fail and what exactly you need to do to drop the weight and keep it off.

Top 3 Steps to Lose Weight Fast

Step One – Free Your Mind

The key element for being able to lose weight quickly and keep it off is establishing a positive frame of mind right from the beginning. Set a specific, achievable goal weight for yourself and KNOW that you will achieve it.

This is a fairly basic variation from the other weight loss programs available out there, but it is the most critical difference when it comes to achieving your goal of weight loss. Simply because the confidence and decisiveness of KNOWING you are going to achieve your goal will keep you motivated to accomplish all the things you actually already KNOW you have to do in order to lose weight.

So many people read a few tips to lose weight fast and then start telling people, (and themselves), “I WANT to lose weight,” or “I’m going to TRY to lose weight.” Wanting something or trying to do something don’t have the same power as deciding that you ARE going to do it.

Once you make the decision that you are going to lose weight, your brain will send out signals to the rest of your body in order to prepare it for that exciting new change.

Step Two – Boost Your Metabolism

Your metabolism is managed by both the stress levels in your life and by the foods you put into your system. The more often you consume highly processed foods, and processed sodium and fats along with foods that are high in sugar, the more you are screwing up your metabolism which makes it a lot harder for you to lose weight .

High levels of stress and extreme diets also can impair your metabolism. Therefore, the best way to recondition your metabolism is to eat natural, unprocessed foods and to spend just 15 minutes a day meditating in order to help lower your stress level. Also avoid those extreme weight loss diet plans that cause more harm than good.

Step Three – Strength and Resistance Training
In order to lose weight fast, strength and resistance training are actually more important than cardiovascular and aerobic exercises. Developing lean muscle mass can make quick weight loss achievable as it raises both your energy level and metabolism.

Improving your metabolism helps your body burn off the fat even while you are inactive. Strength and resistance training do not entail applied to be an Ultimate Fighter. Basically, just start off lifting weights that are a bit heavier than what you are accustomed to lifting in your everyday life. That will help you to not only start strengthening your bones and muscles but it will also help you to build lean muscles

In just a couple of weeks after you begin your strength and resistance training, your body will start to drop off the fat naturally and it will work with you in order to keep your body healthy and lean. It is also essential that you stick to the recommendations for proper nutrition along with doing some type of cardiovascular activity or exercise a minimum of 3 times a week.

For the most powerful way to lose weight fast, switch off between your strength training and cardiovascular activities or you can incorporate both into a single work out.

These three easy tips to lose weight fast can help you get off the roller coaster and back on the path to not only losing weight but keeping it off for good.