Posted Jan 10, 2013
DIET season is upon us and you may have started on a new weightloss “theory”. But if your no-fat detox fasting frenzy isn’t working, it could be because it’s a myth. We go in search of the truth…
1 Low-fat or no-fat diets are good for you.
Myth
A third of your calories should come from fat. The body needs fat for energy, tissue repair and to transport vitamins.
As a guideline, women need 70g of fat a day (30g as the minimum) and men need 95g (40g minimum). Cut down on saturated fats in cream, cheese or butter for unsaturated fats, found in olive oil and avocados.
2 Crash dieting makes you lose weight.
Myth
Crash dieting or fasting can hinder weight loss as both remove fat and also lean muscle and tissue, which causes a fall in your basal metabolic rate – the amount of calories your body needs when it is resting.
This means your body comes to need fewer calories to stay the same, making weight gain more likely once you stop dieting. It is why exercise is recommended in any weight-loss plan to maintain your metabolic rate.
3 Low-fat milk contains less calcium than full-fat milk.
Myth
Skimmed and semi-skimmed milk have more calcium, because the calcium is in the watery not creamy part. If you want to lose weight, skimmed milk is your best option but use semi-skimmed to maintain a healthy lifestyle if you are not dieting.
4 A slow metabolism stops you losing weight.
Myth
The number of calories used by the body at rest increases as people become fatter. So, the larger you are, the more calories you need to keep your body going and the higher your metabolism becomes.
5 Eating a fattening meal will mean you pile on the pounds.
Myth
Weight gain is a slow process. You need to eat an extra 3,500 calories to gain 1lb of fat. If the scales say you have gained a few pounds after a meal, it is down to fluid retention.
6 Low-fat foods always help you lose weight.
Myth
Low-fat or fat-free does not always mean low calorie. Check the calories of foods, especially cakes, crisps, ice creams and ready meals. Extra sugars and thickeners are often added to boost flavour. Foods labelled low-fat should have no more than 3g fat per 100g.
7 Food eaten late at night is more fattening for you.
Myth
A large meal eaten late at night does not make the body store more fat, according to a study at Dunn Nutrition Centre, Cambridge. Volunteers were fed a large lunch and small evening meal for one test period, then a small lunch and large evening meal the next. The large meal eaten late did not make the body store more fat. So it is not when you eat that is important, but the total amount you consume during a 24-hour period.
8 Avoid fatty foods because they will raise your cholesterol.
Myth
Cholesterol can be bad for us because it forms deposits that clog our arteries, which contribute to heart disease. But we all need blood cholesterol for building cells and making hormones.
>Saturated fats found in meat, cheese, cream, butter and processed pastries tend to raise low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, known as bad cholesterol. Choose unsaturated fats such as vegetable oils, nuts and seeds.
9 Vegetarians can’t build up muscle mass.
Myth
Vegetarians can be as muscular as meat eaters by getting their protein from cheese, nuts, pulses and grains. You need protein to build muscle but the body can only store a certain amount of protein, so too much can damage the kidneys.
10 You always gain weight when you stop smoking.
Myth
While nicotine does increase metabolism, its effect is small. It is far healthier to be an overweight non-smoker than not bother giving up. Chew on sugar-free gum or snack on vegetables or satsumas until your cravings go away.
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/womenshealth/features/dietmyths.htm