7 diet myths

With all the quick fix diets, pills and potions we are still battling the obesity issues in Australia. Thanks to our diet we are now fatter than ever before in history.

Here are a few diet myths and the truth as I see it:

Eat grapefruit and it will melt the fat away – no food can do this.
You have to starve to lose weight – this is the worst thing you can do to lose weight, in fact if you eat too little your body will not lose weight. Having a balanced diet with the right amount of fats and calories is the answer. Never go lower than 1200 calories in your day for women and 1500 for men.
When exercising no pain means no gain – this is so false, going too hard too quickly can cause injury and then you spend weeks on the couch recuperating, not a good idea. The key is to get your heart rate up and sweat a little. You can achieve this by doing a brisk 30 minute walk.
Potatoes make you fat – no it’s not the potato that is the problem it is how you cook it or what you add to it. For example fried chips or covering a jacket potato with sour cream and cheese will destroy the benefits of a humble spud.
Avoid sugar –A diet high in sugar can be detrimental to your health as it creates a very acidic body. For example lollies, cakes and biscuits and soft drinks are loaded with sugar. My question to you is how much of these type of foods do you have on a regular basis? Small amounts of sugar aren’t harmful – everything in moderation is the key to good health.
Skip meals and you will lose weight – this is a crazy way to lose weight. You only land up bingeing and in turn will gain more weight. It is better to have 3 meals and a few healthy snacks to keep you happy and satisfied.
The healthiest choice on a menu is salad – This isn’t always the case. One of the highest fat choices on a menu can be caesar salad which has a high fat dressing, fried bread and bacon…not for a slimmer that’s for sure. I always ask for the dressing to be served on the side so you have control how much you use. Also always ask what is in the salad as they may add things like nuts and cheese that can up the fat count. I always ask for balsamic vinegar on my salads to be safe. Check out my healthy version of a caesar salad in the recipes section.

What other diet myths do you know about? Please share in the comments below.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.com

58 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 05 Mar 2022
    10:32 am
More great advice from the wonderful Annette

- - Melissa89 said
  - 27 Jul 2016
    12:29 pm
Good points actually! We do seem to blame the potato a lot

- - linaianna said
  - 01 Dec 2015
    8:33 pm
Thanks for sharing this article great read.

- - linaianna said
  - 01 Dec 2015
    8:32 pm
Thanks for sharing this article great read

- - robyn_smithwick said
  - 30 Nov 2015
    7:46 pm
ALL true.

- - mom165081 said
  - 24 Nov 2015
    1:31 am
Oh there are do very many diet myths. Good food and exercise is all that is Needed

- - mom94378 said
  - 08 Nov 2015
    8:25 pm
Just can’t beat good diet and regular exercise.
- symplytoogood replied
  
  10 Nov 2015 , 9:57 am
  Agreed, it’s definitely a lifestyle, not a quick fix 🙂
- - EllenG89 said
  - 30 Oct 2015
    3:17 pm
a great and interesting read to squash some of those rumours

- - Toni Rowland said
  - 28 Oct 2015
    8:38 pm
Thanks for sharing – some great reminders.

- - donnamcdiarmid said
  - 25 Oct 2015
    10:16 pm
I have been trying to lose weight for some time now but for some reason it wont budge, reading this article has been a great read

- - hopefullyheidi said
  - 24 Oct 2015
    1:15 pm
Wonderful tips. A lot of people put themselves through unnecessary pain by starving themselves

- - jellybean01 said
  - 20 Oct 2015
    1:24 am
Eating Healthy and Exercising are definitely the key to losing weight and keeping a healthy lifestyle.Thanks for sharing
- symplytoogood replied
  
  21 Oct 2015 , 9:41 am
  I couldn’t agree more 🙂 & you are welcome.
- - mom94125 said
  - 17 Oct 2015
    3:44 pm
the workout and eating right is the best way

- - mom113055 said
  - 15 Oct 2015
    10:06 pm
myths diets

- - robyn_smithwick said
  - 15 Oct 2015
    6:41 pm
Very sound advice here!

- - Missey Grace said
  - 14 Oct 2015
    10:37 pm
Yes I agree, these are all good tips full of common sense if you think locgically.

- - mom103778 said
  - 14 Oct 2015
    2:45 pm
Thank you for the information on grapefruit and potatoes.

- - vixxx222 said
  - 14 Oct 2015
    11:59 am
Extra weight is not all about food and exercise. I’m a weight loss coach, teaching the importance of a strong emotional mindset, when losing weight and getting healthy. Emotional eating, cravings and self sabotage are all triggered emotional responses to overeat. Address the stress and anxiety in your life, and losing weight gets a whole lot easier. If you want to find out more go to http://www.moremojo.com.au or find me on Facebook.
- mom94125 replied
  
  14 Oct 2015 , 9:11 pm
  willpower is key. workout and you will mentally feel stronger
- - ella12 said
  - 14 Oct 2015
    11:15 am
some of the crap they come up with hey.

- - rovermum said
  - 14 Oct 2015
    11:14 am
Well, I’ve heard all of these and lived all of these without success!