4 Diet Myths Busted!

Every time I think I’ve heard it all, a new diet comes along.

Myths abound when it comes to losing weight, eating right, and living a healthy life. Most diet myths tend to stick around because they tend to speak directly to our inherent desire to eat the right way. Some of these develop from “common knowledge’, personal experience, one flawed research study. Others are just made up.

How many of these common diet myths do you still hang your hat on?

Low-Fat Diets Are Healthy

Back in what now seems like the dark ages of nutrition, every dietitian and doctor within earshot was touting the benefits of a low-fat diet.  The USDA even went as far as to design its now maligned food guide pyramid around this concept.  A mountain of research and an obesity epidemic later, we now know that fat is not the enemy. In fact, omega-3 fats are practically a health miracle-not something to be avoided.

Losing X Pounds Is The Goal

If you are overweight, losing weight is a no brainer for your health and well-being. However, all weight is not created equal. Getting to a healthy BMI is great, but how you get there is almost as important. A little thing called body composition changes the game significantly. Research shows that maintaining as much muscle as possible during weight loss is more vital to optimal health.

Weight Loss Supplements Work

It may be a hard thing to accept, but weight loss really boils down to calories in vs. calories out. How you eat those calories makes a tremendous difference, but calories are the name of the game. Certain supplements can help with weight loss, but are the equivilant of having a spare tire on your car for a cross-country trip. It can help you for a while, but it’s definitely dangerous for long-term use.

Low-Fat Diets Are Effective For Weight Loss

I have to come back and take another shot at low-fat diets because my profession is partly responsible for creating this myth. In theory, it makes sense: fat has twice as many calories than carbs and protein. Therefore, if you eat less of it, you are essentially halving your calories. Wow, have we learned a ton since that concept was first developed. Your body isn’t stupid. It knows it needs fat. Fat actually helps curb appetite and may even increase metabolism-two crucial factors for succesfull weight loss.

Brian Dean MS, RD is a registered dietitian and researcher. After years of research, Brian has set his sights on helping those with lower back pain.  He serves on the Medical Nutrition Committee for The American Society for Nutrition and is a professional member of numerous research organizations including the International Association for The Study of Pain, American Chronic Pain Society, and The American Dietetic Association. He recently created a research-based lower back pain treatment program called The Back Pain Diet which is available from his website Stop Lower Back Pain.