9 Myths About Weight Loss

Losing weight is no easy task, and myths persist about how to do it—which end up making it even harder. To cut through the confusion, here are nine common misconceptions about weight loss and dieting, and what the science actually says. Myth #1: It’s impossible to lose weight It’s tough—just ask anyone who’s tried. But it’s not impossible. The National Weight Control Registry began keeping track in 1994 of people who lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for a year or longer. Today, more than 10,000 Americans are part of the registry—with an average weight loss of 66 pounds, kept off for more than five years. Researchers are studying how these Americans were successful in order to provide advice to others. So far, they’ve found that the vast majority of people in the study say they changed their diet and started exercising more. Other commonalities include eating breakfast every day, weighing themselves at least once a week and watching fewer than 10 hours of TV a week. Myth #2: To lose weight you only need to eat less and exercise more While studies like the National Weight Control Registry show that people who lose weight successfully tend to change their eating habits and increase their exercise, that’s not the whole story. Other factors, like genetics, environment, emotional state and what types of food a person eats can also contribute. Some researchers argue that the common advice to just “count calories&rdq...
Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized best way to lose weight best weight loss calories how to lose weight losing weight weight gain weight loss diet Source Type: news