When does a lie become an accepted truth? When the lie is repeated often enough.
It’s the oldest trick in the book, a favorite ploy of politicians and others who stand to gain… but we still fall for it.
Especially when it comes to losing weight…
The truth is Americans want to believe so badly that they can lose weight quickly and easily that they are readily willing to accept any ruse that implies it is possible. And the diet industry is riddled with self-perpetuating myths, misconceptions, and downright mistruths that prey on our dreams.
The strategy is to market fringe products and miracle cures that are very seductive in what they promise. Note the billions of dollars the diet industry spends on consumer advertising. Very few people are successful at losing weight, but the promise gets into our subconscious and stays there. Why? Because the lie is repeated often enough.
The antidote is for consumers to educate themselves from reputable sources with reliable data. I will start the process by smashing ten of the most common weight-loss lies right here.
1. “Lose 30 pounds in 30 days.” Or any other gimmick that pledges massive weight loss at break-neck speed. It’s not healthy, and it’s not true. Permanent weight loss requires lifestyle change, not a quick fix. You didn’t become overweight overnight. It’s not realistic to think you can lose weight overnight, either.
2. Fat is bad for you. Dieticians forwarded that one to people for years. Now they know better. The truth is that some fats are unhealthy, and some are good – indeed, necessary – for your health. (Hence the term, “essential fatty acids”!) In fact, certain fats are necessary for a healthy heart.
3. Carbohydrates are bad for you. First it was fat, now carbohydrates are the bad guy. Can somebody please make up their mind? This trendy idea is just too broad. When trying to lose weight, make a distinction between unhealthy, simple carbohydrates, such as white flour and sugar, and fibrous carbohydrates, such as vegetables and whole grains, which provide vital vitamins, and fiber to aid digestion.
4. Lose weight by not eating. Uh… no. First of all, what is healthy about starving yourself? Starving deprives the body of the nutrients it needs for life and can lead to serious illness. Plus you lose muscle mass, not fat. Even if you do lose pounds, you gain them back almost immediately when you raid the fridge again.
5. Don’t eat after 6 p.m. This is my favorite industry lie. It’s not what time you eat, it’s what you eat! In Europe they eat at 10 o’clock at night and they’re half the size of Americans.
Let’s be realistic about this… do you really believe your body has a special enzyme, or mechanism, that says “its 6:00 p.m. It’s time to store all food as body fat!” Give me a break!
6. Salad bars are healthy. Bacon, cheeses, fried chicken, oily dressings… The apparent allure of salad bars means they probably require as much of your considered attention as ordering at a fast food restaurant. You have to choose the foods at a salad bar wisely. Most people simply do not do this.
7. Diet sodas aid weight loss. Nope… no way… no how. This is another one of my favorite pieces of diet-industry hype. There isn’t a single study that shows diet sodas help you lose weight. There’s absolutely no data on that at all.
8. You shouldn’t step on a scale. It’s another misconception that dieticians have passed on. I completely disagree with it. Though I do not believe that the scale should be your main barometer for measuring your progress, checking your weight on a regular basis (say once a week) is an obvious way to gauge your progress and alter your diet accordingly. However, scales in and of themselves, well… they suck. I encourage people to keep track of hip, thigh and tummy inches, too. Better yet, the way your clothes are fitting and the way you look in a mirror are the best indicators for measuring improvements.
9. You can lose weight with a pill. I call this one “cardio in a bottle.” You can’t replace healthy eating and exercise with a pill. Pills aren’t a new thing; they’ve been tried for decades…with horrible side effects. There is no pill that can make your body burn calories… NONE! That’s right …that Hydroxycut does you no good at all if you are not eating properly and doing cardio exercise. It requires proper nutrition, cardio and weight training. The weight you lost is probably because you reduced your caloric intake instead of the product. Guess what. You could have done the same damn thing without spending your money on the “cardio in a bottle.”
10. You have to join the gym. Would I love to see everyone working out in a gym? Of course. Is it a necessity? Absolutely not. Actually, the most recent research indicates 30 to 60 minutes per day of moderate physical activity is all it takes to balance healthy food intake. It doesn’t have to be strenuous exercise, just move your body!
There you have it… Stop believing everything you hear or read. Start using common sense. Do what it really takes to lose the tonnage.
Move a little more… eat a little less…and exercise a little discretion the next time you hear about a weight-loss product, or diet program, that sounds too good to be true.
