What happens when you search “weight loss” online? I’m sure you can guess without even doing it. Results like weight loss pills, weight loss drinks, and weight loss foods, flood your screen and cause anxiety.
We don’t know about you, but we’re done associating weight loss with such an unhealthy lifestyle. So maybe it’s time to reinsert “weight loss” into a totally different kind of conversation and dispel all those insane myths?
How many of us grew up hearing our friends, our parents, and even our grandparents, talk about the latest weight loss diet? Whether it was Atkins, the Cabbage Soup plan, or Nutrisystem, we can probably all name at least one infamous diet trend that we caught onto.
But the reality about these diets is that make weight loss seem like something simple. And, much more damagingly, they make weight loss seem like the “be all end all” of your existence. (It’s not, by the way.)
From weight loss pills to weight loss programs, this blog post challenges some truly insane weight loss myths that may have been holding you back.
This post is all about 11 myths about weight loss.
Myth #1: Losing weight will solve all your problems
I lost count of the number of times that I believed that if I just lost 10 pounds, or even five pounds, my problems would finally be solved. My life would perfectly fit together, any woes I had would disappear, and everybody would think I was worthy of love and respect!
With love I’m here to remind you, or tell you for the first time, that losing weight will not solve all your problems.
If you find yourself obsessively thinking that if you “lose the weight” you’ll feel mentally relieved, I assure you you’ll be disappointed. Whatever trauma you’ve experienced (and we all have trauma) that has caused you to equate your weight with your worthiness, please know that working through that trauma with a support system is what you really need.
You don’t need to lose weight to be happy. Maybe you do for health reasons – and that’s totally fine and I’m cheering you on – but if you think weight loss will make you deserving of love and respect, and reduce your insecurities? No, it won’t. You are already enough.
Myth #2: Only cardio can cause weight loss
If after talking with a medical professional, you decide that weight loss will be beneficial for your overall physical and mental health, then someone is probably going to tell you to “just do a bunch of cardio!”
STOP! Cardio is awesome, it’s so much fun. But it’s definitely not the only type of weight loss exercise to help you get healthier.
Ask any doctor and they’ll tell you cardio is just one way to maintain your overall health. At the end of the day, eating food that nourishes your body and soul, drinking lots of water, and moving your body in a way that feels good to you, is what good health is all about. Fostering a healthy weight is down to many factors.
So put down your running shoes and remember that it’s impossible to run ten miles a day!
Myth #3: The freshman 15 will happen to you – or it already did!
Yeah… so there’s no actual data to support this insane myth.
Also, who started this rumor?!
If you’ve just arrived at college, try your best to let this one go. Enjoy yourself and look after your mind and body.
Myth #4: Do a juice cleanse to lose weight quickly
As someone who was a teen during the 2000s, I remember juice cleanses being dubbed the ultimate weight loss drink.
Touted as a way to cleanse yourself “from the inside out,” I never understood how anyone could put themselves through a juice cleanse… Surely the hunger would drive you crazy?
Here’s the thing, research has shown that juice cleanses do nothing beneficial for you.
Nitin Ahuja, an assistant professor of clinical medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of Pennsylvania, said of juice cleanses that “the idea that you would need to actively remove by-products of digested food in a normal gastrointestinal system is false” (The Washington Post).
Myth #5: Drastically cut calories to lose weight quickly
In my early 20s, I drastically cut my calorie intake. And yes, I did lose weight, but I also saw many other (very negative) results.
Not only did my weight drastically decline, I was always tired, always irritated (because I was tired), had irregular and sudden bowel movements, constantly bruised skin, and stomach pain.
It was painfully clear to everyone but me: yes, I had lost weight, but I had also lost the ability to lead a heathy life.
Myth #6: Ditching carbs will help you slim down fast
Carbs get such a bad rep. I feel so bad for them and all pasta makers.
When I first met with a dietician, she was quick to point out that carbs are, on the whole, a necessary part of one’s diet. It’s simply about figuring out how much you need and what types of carbs you’re digesting.
The notion that carbs are the devil is untrue, according to dietitian Jim White, RD, ACSM, owner of Jim White Fitness and Nutrition Studios.
According to White, getting rid of the carbs in your diet can actually make your weight increase because you’re depriving yourself of filling fiber, which has been proven to help prevent weight gain. Basically, you get hungry, and you turn to every type of food when you’re depriving yourself of something in particular like carbs.
Myth #7: You can exercise the pounds away
Research has shown over and over again that while exercise can encourage weight loss, weight loss is really down to one’s diet.
Weight loss exercise is of course a positive addition to your health plan, but reflecting on how nourishing your meals are is the best way to achieve a healthy weight.
Exercise, in my experience, is most beneficial for feeling strong, reducing bloating, and mental health. Nothing makes me feel more focused and positive about myself than moving my body. You don’t have to adopt an insane workout routine. Start by aiming for 10 mins of exercise a day until you can get to around 30 or 40 minutes a day!
Myth #8: Just sweat out your fat
If you dig around the internet long enough, you’ll find weight loss plans with ideas like baking yourself in a sauna, or running through the desert to sweat out the calories…
Newsflash! When you sweat, you’e losing water, not fat.
Also, it doesn’t feel good – and it’s really dangerous – to get intentionally dehydrated.
Always talk to your doctor before you use a sauna or steam room.
Myth #9: You’ll See Results Immediately
When you embark upon a healthy self care journey, every person has a different metabolism, set of hormones, environment, and possible underlying health issues.
In other words, there are literally dozens of factors that contribute towards a persons’ ability to lose weight. If you’re looking for a quick “weight loss before and after” scenario, I lovingly suggest you let it go, because it’s not realistic and healthy,
If you need to embark upon a weight loss journey for your overall health, then remember it takes time to see a physical change.
Myth #10: Diet pills or surgery are the only way to lose weight
Similarly to juice cleanses, I grew up hearing a lot of weight loss tips include diet pills or surgery.
Here’s the thing… unless your medical team advise you to take prescriptions and/or undergo surgery, you should not be focusing your time, money and attention on these supposed weight loss methods.
Taking “diet pills” can have serious side effects. Phentermine, for example, are normally stimulants and associated with health risks like disrupting your heart rhythm, raising your blood pressure, and sometimes seizures.
Weight-loss surgery, which includes procedures like gastric bypass or gastric sleeve, can be successful if advised by your doctor. But that doesn’t mean that everyone should go out and get surgery for weight loss. At the end of the day, it’s still a serious surgical procedure with risks including infection, blood clots, and lung or breathing problems.
Myth #11: Weight loss is possible for everyone
It’s hard in our culture to remember that everybody’s bodies are different. We all have different hormone levels, bone structures, physical abilities and genetics. One person’s journey to health may not be the same as your journey.
I know it’s a cliché, but comparison really is the thief of joy. I have lots of friends who are very experienced runners, and sometimes I catch myself comparing my fitness experience to theirs when I’m training for a race.
Hold on, I think, what am I doing?
My body’s journey is just that: it’s mine. How my body responds to food, drink, movement, and my environment, will be unique.