It’s that time of year again where we are setting resolutions and plans of action for our life. The most common New Year’s Resolution is to lose weight. Which is fine; because health is wealth. Just remember that those old ways of losing weight and dieting weren’t really healthy in the long run. All the fad diets, pills promising to help you burn the fat and flat tummy teas will only take your body so far. As we all embark on our weight loss journey, take note of these common weight-loss myths to help aid you along the way.
1. FOCUSING ON WHAT YOU CAN’T EAT
“So many people embarking on a weight loss journey focus on what they can’t have—[such as] no sugar, no alcohol, no dessert, no bread, no cheese. I like to tell my readers to focus on what they can have and tally up all the filling and nutritious superfoods out there.”
–Kath Younger, R.D., blogger at Kath Eats Real Food
2. ADOPTING AN ALL-OR-NOTHING ATTITUDE
“[Don’t] eliminating foods you love. Too many people who are trying to lose weight develop the all-or-nothing attitude. This way of thinking can be detrimental in the long run. Instead of depriving oneself of foods they love, they should learn how to incorporate them into their diet in a healthier way. For example, love pasta? Instead of adding a creamy high-fat sauce, add lots of veggies, and grilled shrimp, and toss in olive oil and garlic. Can’t live without bread? Well, you shouldn’t have to. Make a healthy sandwich for lunch on 100 percent whole-grain bread with grilled chicken, avocado, lettuce, and tomato.”
—Keri Gans, M.S., R.D., author of The Small Change Diet
3. NOT HAVING A SOLID PLAN
“Not having a solid, realistic plan [is a mistake]. People should set themselves up for success by coming up with small, challenging yet attainable action steps to work towards. Start off with a few actionable and specific goals for the first week. Once you master those, keep adding on. Before you know it, those action steps will become lifelong healthy habits.”
—Lindsey Pine, M.S., R.D., owner of Tasty Balance Nutrition
4. CUTTING OUT AN ENTIRE FOOD GROUP
“When people are trying to lose weight, they often cut out an entire food group, like carbs or meat, but this usually just results in an unbalanced diet and even deficiencies in certain nutrients. Plus, for most people, this is not sustainable for a lifetime—I always say if you couldn’t do it for the rest of your life, it’s a diet that’s probably not going to work in the long run.”
—Sarah-Jane Bedwell, R.D., L.D.N.
5. REPLACING MEALS WITH LIQUIDS
“Green juices and smoothies are very popular right now, and a lot of people will use these as meal replacements. Unfortunately, oftentimes these beverages aren’t made up of the right mix of nutrients. Green juices lack fiber and protein, which are key nutrients in keeping you full and helping you meet your nutrient recommendations, and smoothies are typically loaded in sugar from juice, sweeteners, or too much fruit, and can be really high in calories from oversized portions of healthy fat sources like nuts and seeds.”
—Maxine Yeung, M.S., R.D., owner of The Wellness Whisk
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