Who do I believe? 10 myths about losing weight

By Paula Andrea Henao, health and nutrition coach.

Living a healthy life is a goal many people aspire to achieve. To achieve this, it's important to be consistent and disciplined, set small goals, and seek the support of an expert who, in addition to establishing a plan based on your age, lifestyle, and pre-existing conditions, can help you address any concerns that arise along the way. There's a wealth of information on the subject, and it's important to make decisions based on verified data.

1. Skipping breakfast helps you lose weight

FALSE

Skipping main meals and excessively reducing your calorie intake can affect your metabolism and decrease muscle mass. Don't forget that your body needs a specific amount of calories and nutrients to function properly.

2. Eating at night makes you fat

FALSE

More than the time you choose to eat, what's truly important is the quality and quantity of the food you eat, as well as how often you exercise.

3. To lose weight you have to be a vegetarian

FALSE

Being vegetarian or vegan doesn't mean you're healthy. Many plant-based foods, such as seeds, dried fruits, plant-based cheeses, and imitation meats, contain flours and margarines and are high in fat. Therefore, if you consume them in excess, they can lead to weight gain.

4.  Low fat or light is synonymous with zero calories

FALSE

The difference between a low-fat food and a regular one is that the former has fewer calories or different ingredients. However, you should know that sometimes sugar, flour, or thickeners containing starch are added to light products to give them a texture and flavor that compensates for the fat removed. In this sense, they may provide more calories than the original version.

5.  Giving up gluten helps you lose weight

FALSE

Only people diagnosed with celiac disease, that is, those with an intestinal intolerance to this wheat protein, should exclude it from their diets. The term "gluten-free" doesn't necessarily mean it's healthy; keep in mind that many substitute products contain higher amounts of sugar and trans fats.

6.  You have to eat several times a day to increase your metabolism.

FALSE

Although it's widely believed that eating food periodically helps speed up metabolism, scientific evidence suggests that eating minimal food throughout the day and maintaining a low-calorie diet have positive effects on the body, such as preventing premature aging and cellular oxidation. To maintain a healthy weight, it's recommended to eat two to three times a day, depending on individual needs, and to engage in regular physical activity.

7.  Todas las grasas son malas

FALSE

Only people diagnosed with celiac disease, that is, those with an intestinal intolerance to this wheat protein, should exclude it from their diets. The term "gluten-free" doesn't necessarily mean it's healthy; keep in mind that many substitute products contain higher amounts of sugar and trans fats.

8.  If I sweat a lot, I will lose weight faster

FALSE

Many people believe that applying hot gels, going to a sauna, or exercising excessively will help them sweat more and, therefore, burn more calories. The truth is that when you sweat, you don't burn fat; you only expel fluids, which you can quickly replenish by ingesting them.

9.  Pineapple or lettuce diets are very effective

FALSE

Fad miracle diets are deceptive and put your health at risk. If you stop eating certain foods and replace them with smaller portions, you'll likely lose weight, but this only happens because you're consuming fewer calories, not because you've eaten a miracle food. Remember, it's important to consume the amount of nutrients your body needs every day.

10.  Do fat burning pills work?

FALSE

Although these can help you lose weight by helping you expel water, miracle pills are pharmaceutical preparations sold without medical supervision and may contain elements that put your health at risk, causing side effects and even death.