There are many misconceptions about losing weight and the weight loss process. You have to understand what is right and what is a myth. Otherwise, you will waste precious time and possibly go through more misery than is necessary. Don't let that happen to you! Read below and understand many of the common weight loss myths.

If It Sounds Too Good, It Probably Is

If you run across a weight loss plan that sounds too good to be true, more often than not it is. You will often hear about the latest trend that allows your to lose 50 pounds in a week or two. This just isn't realistic and it is designed to get your attention so that you will be given hope. But this is false hopw that isn't grounded and reality and is just a way to part you from your money. Even if there were a weight loss program that allowed for that kind of dramatic result, it wouldn't be healthy for you and it would have many health risks along with it.

For more weight loss health risks, visit the Weight Loss Risks page.

Weight Loss Myths

Now let's talk about the more prevalent weight loss myths that you have heard of and maybe even believe. Many of these are wide-spread and need to be refuted. So let's do that now.

I'm Just Big Boned
This is a common myths that everyone has heard. There is no evidence to back up this myth. Many people use this as a crutch to explain why they are overweight and why they shouldn't try to remedy the problem. But bone size or structure doesn't effect the layer of extra fat that is hanging off of your body.

Starving Is Effective
Some people will try to starve themselves in an attempt to lose weight quickly. This is a dangerous practice because it can lead to detrimental health problems. But not only that, it also doesn't work. When your body is cut off from calories and food, then it will start to go into a conservation mode where your metabolism slows and you burn much less energy because your body is trying to protect you. It actually is a better practice to eat smaller meals more often because this will keep your metabolism at a consistently high rate.

You Can Lose Weight Overnight
Technically this is true, but not practically. Your body does continue to burn fat overnight and your metabolism is still active, but there will not be much of a visible result or substantial differences. If you are looking for a dramatic overnight result, it isn't going to happen. And it wouldn't be healthy if it did.

Only Eat 3 Times A Day, Don't Snack
It isn't the number of meals that determines how much you consume in a day, it is the quantity of food and calories. It is far better to get away from the traditional 3 meals per day notion and switch to 5 or 6 smaller meals. If you go for extended periods of time without eating, your metabolism will slow down and your body will start conserving instead of burning energy. If you break it up into smaller meals and eat smaller amounts when hungry, you will maintain a consistent high metabolism and burn fat at an accellerated rate. Plus you won't go hungry during the day.

Being Really Hungry Is A Good Sign
This ties in with the starvation myth. Being really hungry will not help you lose weight quicker. Your body will go into conservation mode and start saving energy when it should be burning it. You should eat a small snack when you are hungry to maintain your metabolic rate.

Avoid All Fats
Everyone needs fats in their diets. Fats helps nutrient absorption and are among the building blocks of cell structure. But when consumed in excess amount, fats contribute to weight gain. However, there are differences between fats. Some are good and affect your health in a positive manner, and others are bad and are detrimental. You need to replace the bad fats with good fats.

For more information on fats, visit the Weight Loss Terms page.

Cut Out All Deserts
It may be helpful to cut back on deserts and stick just to the healthiest foods, but it won't be as good for your mental disposition. If you constantly deny yourself what you want to eat, eventually you will break down and start consuming it. Sometimes you will go on a harsh sweet rebound and ruin much of what you accomplished. It is ok to treat yourself every now and again. It will keep your morale up and make your diet easier. Just work it into your meal plan and you will be better off for it.

Don’t Worry About Dieting — Just Exercise
Exercise can be a useful tool in toning your ab muscles and building muscle mass. But it will not make any serious difference in weight loss by itself. The best that you can do is to do cardio exercises to accellerate your heart to a consistent level where it uses more energy and helps reduce excess fat. But if you are trying to use it as a tool to lose weight, it isn't going to be nearly effective enough.

Don't Weight Yourself
Some say that you should never weigh yourself during a diet. This may be true if you are someone who weighs yourself more than once per day, but your weight can be a good benchmark of your progress. You should weigh yourself twice a week to see what your progress is, and even be encouraged by it.

Stay Vigilant

Weight loss is a process and not an action. There isn't a miracle cure that will allow you to get to your ideal weight overnight, and you should never resort to harsh methods to get there. If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. But that doesn't mean that you should despair. Instead you should commit yourself to doing the real steps to lose weight, because they actually work. If you do what you must and make the changes that you should, then you will be able to get the results that you want.

Final Thoughts

There are many myths that have abounded and are treated as fact. Don't fall prey to them because in doing so, you can hold yourself back form real progress and reaching the goals that you want. Don't assume that something is fact because there is a consensus. There are many untruths in life, you have to keep a skeptical mind of everything that you hear and be diligent to sort out the truth.