Common Misconceptions About Weight-loss Methods

Myth 1 : Sleeping less helps in losing weight because more calories are burnt by staying up through the night.
Fact : Sleep more - to weigh less. If you do not get a full night's rest, the body's fat cell secrete up to 18% less of the hormone leptin, the chemical that tells your brain you have sufficient energy reserves and do not need food. Also, if you have had, say only about four hours sleep, you are less likely to exercise and more apt to reach for that box of doughnuts to get through the day.

Myth 2 : Green tea will boost metabolism rate.
Fact : There is no one single food that burns fat. Green tea contains the chemical polyphenol, commonly known as catechins, which may speed up metabolism for a short time, but they do not cause weight loss. However, drinking green tea (unsweetened) may displace other high-fat or high sugar beverages in you diet, hence cutting down on calories.

Myth 3 : Liquid meals contain the necessary nutrients so they can be substitutes for normal meals.
Fact : Meal replacements exert their effect on reducing portion size and consequently, energy intake. They should not replace the act of eating a full meal. Check that commercial meal replacements are from a reputable source and meet these criteria : they have at least 200 calories, 12g of protein and 25% of the recommended daily intake of 16 vitamins and minerals.

Myth 4 : Drinking milk will make us fat.
Fact : Dairy products have many nutrients your body needs. They provide protein to build muscles and to help organs work properly, as well as calcium to strengthen bones. Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products : these are as nutritious as whole milk products but are lower in fat and calories. A 250ml cup of low-fat milk has about 130 calories compared to 370 calories from a typical 400ml cup of bubble tea. Do your maths.

Myth 5 : Stress from working long hours will help in losing weight.
Fact : Some people who are stressed tend to binge on food, especially junk food. Irregular eating patterns also result in weight gain and cause indigestion. In order to lose weight one should aim towards a balanced life - and managing stress through physical activity or leisure, or spending more quality time with yourself or your loved ones. Think about losing weight not only about shedding the kilos but also about gaining health.

Myth 6 : If we go straight for drinks and skip dinner, we will imbibe less calories.
Fact : Three cans of beer provide about 390 calories with little or no nutrients, whereas a bowl of fishball noodles soup gives about 330 calories with lots more nutrients packed in. If you drink excessively in place of a proper dinner, you risk not just consuming more calories but alcoholic poisoning too. Also, alcohol is more easily metabolised into fat than the protein and carbohydrates in a nutritious meal.

Myth 7 : Chew each bite of food 25 times.
Fact : This one is true, but 25 is an arbitrary number. It sounds like obsessive behaviour, but one of the best-kept natural secrets to weight loss is to chew food until it turns to liquid in your mouth. Thorough chewing means better digestion and absorption of vital nutrients as well as earlier recognition by the brain and stomach that your appetite is satisfied. So ignore that hovering maitre d' and linger over your meal.

Myth 8 : Drinking lots of water will help in losing weight.
Fact : Dehyration does slow down the fat-burning process, as your body needs an adequate supply of water to function efficiently. But while drinking water with a meal may make you feel full sooner, drinking water alone may not have this effect. In order to feel satisfied, our bodies need calories and nutrients.

Myth 9 : A high-protein / low carbohydrate diet is a healthy way to lose weight.
Fact : Such diets may induce ketosis, or the breakdown of fats in the absence of carbohydrates, to form ketones. High levels of ketones in the blood can cause dizziness, nausea, headache, dehydration, lethargy and bad breath. It also means a diet too rich in fat and protein, which may contribute to heart disease.

Myth 10 : Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.
Fact : Meal-skipping causes the body to go into "starvation mode" to compensate for fewer calories. This could decrease the body's metabolic rate by as much as 10 to 15%. The body will hold on to the fat and burn lean muscle instead. Skipping meals makes you tired and with poor nutrition, you are more likely to snack on high-fat and high-sugar foods to keep you going.

Myth 11 : We should not eat after 8pm.
Fact : Your digestion system does not clock-watch. It does not matter what time of the day you eat, but what you eat and how much physical activity you do during the day that determines whether you gain or lose weight. No matter when you eat, your body will store extra calories as fat. However, do not binge and cram your entire day's calories into one meal.

Myth 12 : If we can lose weight by counting calories or cutting down carbohydrates, we don't really need to exercise.
Fact : Exercise trains us on our basal metabolic rate, so the more you exercise, the higher your metabolic rate. Exercise is an integral part of the weight management regime. It enhances our cardiovascular system and tones up our muscles, thus improving general health.

Myth 13 : If we are overweight, we should not jog because it puts a strain on our knees.
Fact : Jogging is a form of cardiovascular exercise and is a good way to increase your metabolic rate. However, it does create more loading onto the lower limbs, that is, the ankles and knees, due to the nature of the exercise. If you are unfit and overweight (with poor muscle tone), you should start low-impact cardiovascular exercises such as cycling, brisk walking and swimming.

Myth 14 : We must cut out desserts entirely.
Fact : Deprivation is the downfall of all diets. Saying yes to the occasional chocolate brownie will not ruin your diet plan - if you have your sweets in small portions, and only once every few days.

Myth 15 : Don't snack between meals.
Fact : Snacking is not the problem, it is what you snack on. Many people need a snack in between meals to maintain energy levels, especially those with an active lifestyle. If you must, snack on healthier alternatives like fruit or nuts instead of reaching for that packet of crisps or chocolate bar.

Myth 16 : Smoking makes us lose appetite so we can cut down on food intake.
Fact : While smoking can act as an appetite-suppressant and may result in you cutting down on food intake, it will also shave off seven to eight years of your life expectancy. Smoking poses other health problems and may lead to diseases such as lung cancer and pneumonia. In short, smoking is not recommended if one wants to lose weight. You may lose weight, but in the long term, you are trading in your health in exchange for chronic heart and lung diseases.