10 Diet Myths That Won't Go Away part 1

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Myths 1 - 5

10 Diet Myths That Won't Go Away

We expose the truth about popular diet myths.

By JENNIFER FIELDS

Diet Myths

From downing your weight in water to loading up on grapefruit, there's

a long list of tricks and tips that promise to help you drop those

extra pounds. But how do you separate diet fact from fiction? Our

experts take a look at the most pervasive diet myths and put them to

rest -- once and for all.

# 1. Myth: Calories eaten after 8PM turn to fat.

# Fact: This is an urban legend that is no more true than the notion

that alligators are roaming the sewers of New York City, says Liz

Neporent, trainer and author of 'The Fat-Free Truth.' The fact of the

matter is if you eat more calories than your body burns in a day, the

excess calories will be stored as fat. Whether you consume them during

'Good Morning America' or 'Letterman' doesn't matter; there is no

intrinsic connection between calories and the clock.

# 2. Myth: To jump-start your diet, you should fast.

# Fact: Not so fast! Skipping meals for extended periods of time is

actually the best way to sabotage a diet. Though fasting may

temporarily help you lose weight, it's predominantly water weight,

says Dawn Blatner, RD, of the Northwestern Memorial Wellness

Institute. Fasting is not recommended because not eating for extended

periods can cause fatigue and dizziness. Ultimately, fasting usually

accomplishes two things, says Blatner. " It makes you hungry and leaves

you feeling deprived. " Once you become over-hungry, all common sense

is lost, and you're bound to make high-calorie, high-fat choices in

that state of mind. Furthermore, feeling deprived tends to lead to

binging when you do eat again. So, in fact, the more you don't eat,

the more likely you are to overeat in the end.

# 3. Myth: Low-carb (high protein) diets are the most effective route

to weight loss.

# Fact: Before you ban bread altogether, consider this: Although

preliminary research suggests that obese people can lose more weight

on a low-carb diet than on a conventional low-fat diet, the benefits

appear to be small and may be short-lived, says Neporent. One yearlong

study comparing low-carb dieters to low-fat dieters found that

low-carbers began regaining the weight they lost after six months. By

the end of the year, they were no better off than the low-fat group.

What's more, the dropout rate among both groups was extremely high. It

really is about the calories and striking a balance between what you

consume and what you burn. To do that for the long haul, you have to

choose a diet that is sustainable. And permanently cutting out entire

food groups (especially ones that include tasty, crusty bread) doesn't

qualify.

# 4. Myth: Eating white foods is bad for you.

# Fact: Don't judge a food by its color. Some of the best foods for

you are actually white, says Sass, RD, spokesperson for the

American Dietetic Association. The color of a food has nothing to do

with its nutritional value and it's not always an indication of how

processed the food is either, she says. Think bananas, pears and

garlic, all of which pack a nutritional punch and are also naturally

white. Instead of focusing on the color of the food, you need to

consider what else it delivers in deciding whether to eat it. Find out

what nutrients and vitamins it has. And look at the list of

ingredients to determine how highly processed it is. Even a processed

food, such as cake mix, doesn't have to be a diet wrecker as long as

you eat it in moderation.

# 5. Myth: Drinking lots of water will help you lose weight.

# Fact: If your daily drinking habits consist of sweetened teas, juice

drinks and sodas, then replacing them with water can result in

consuming fewer calories, which can lead to weight loss. But simply

upping your water intake will not, unfortunately, help you shed

pounds, says Sass. Though drinking water may make your belly

temporarily feel fuller, you have to remember that hunger is not

simply a function of your stomach -- your body is crying out for

nutrients in food, so filling up on water won't satisfy you for long.

Of course staying hydrated is important for maintaining your overall

energy and body functioning, but contrary to popular belief, drinking

it in excess won't boost your metabolism or flush away fat.

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Get Fit! Weight loss will follow