the truth behind diet myths

[treehuggertodd]

I saw a piece in the newspaper a few days ago about myths people commonly believe about exercise and it made me think about posting here so that we can work together to find the truth about dieting and fitness by sharing common myths and the truth about them.

Here's mine to start.

Myth: If you stop exercising, the muscle you'd built up will turn into fat.

Truth: fat and muscles are made up of two completely different kinds of cells. One one transform into the other just because you stop exercising. You may lose muscle when you stop exercising, and if you eat more calories than you burn off then you might gain fat, but one doesn't transform into the other.

[jenny25]

Good idea, treehuggertodd! It'll get us thinking, researching, and learning the truth. I, for one, would hate to think that i was following some myth and holding back my potential to lose weight!

So here's mine:

MYTH: the only effective diet is the one that leaves you starving.

TRUTH: there are lots of different diets and though some of them will leave you hungry, there are lots that would help to avoid that consequence. there are multiple small meals all day diets, diets that let you eat lots and lots of low cal foods, and there are appeteite suppressing drugs that mean you don't feel hungry anyway!

[suzie]

Hi guys! How about this one: Myth - if it says "low fat" or "nonfat" then it means that you're eating fewer calories. Truth - Though that may be true, it's often not. Always check the nutrition label so that you'll know for sure. Since they often replace the flavor from fat with sugar or other high-cal ingredients, lower fat options may not be saving you any calories.

[steve_ross]

myth: Coffee Can Help You Lose Weight

reality: People think the caffeine in coffee boots your metabolism. While coffee may temporarily suppress your appetite, drinking a cup or two of coffee a day is not enough of an effect to help you lose weight. And drinking a lot of coffee will probably lead to anxiety, heart racing and high blood pressure as well as trouble sleeping.

[tracy1976]

alright, here’s mine.
Myth – when diet products say “all natural” or “herbal” it automatically means that they’re safe and/or good for you.
Truth – many of these products haven’t been scientifically tested to show that they are safe or effective. While some are great, others are completely ineffective while some are hazardous to your health.

[ffviifan]

Myth: Lowfat milks have less calcium than higher fat milks

Fact: skim and partially skim milk have more calcium thank full fat milk. Full fat milk is good for people who are trying to gain weight or for kids. skim milk is best when you're trying to lose weight because there's way less fat but more calcium (around 10mg per cup when compared to full fat milk). Once you've got your goal weight, partially skim milk is good.

[tara]

This is an awesome thread!

how about this one.

Myth, effective diets don't include dessert.

Truth, one of the biggest downfalls in many diets is deprivation. if you cut out everything you lvoe and don't satisfy your sweet tooth, then you'll only end up straying from your diet and doing things like having one night that you just pig out. Instead, give yourself a nice small portion every now and again, like only on weekends. That won't set you back and it'll stop you from going overboard.

[freddyboy]

Myth – snacking between meals will make you gain weight.
Truth – snacking won’t lead to weight gain. It’s the choices of foods that make the difference. If you have eaten high calorie meals and eat a huge bag of potato chips as a snack, you’ll likely gain weight. If you eat low calorie nutritious meals and have some carrot sticks as a snack, you’re not going to pack on pounds.

[jannet]

Myth: If you stop exercising, the muscle you'd built up will turn into fat.
I would say this myth is true , when you stop exercising then the muscles turn into fats and you getting fat ....

[jenny25]

Myth: If you stop exercising, the muscle you'd built up will turn into fat.
I would say this myth is true , when you stop exercising then the muscles turn into fats and you getting fat ....

I agree with you in that when you stop exercising, you'll get flabbier and you'll lose muscle, but I think the reason that this is a "myth" is that people believe that the muscle actually turns into fat. They're two different parts of the body with two different kinds of tissue cells so one can't transform into the other one.

You are absolutely right, though. If you stop exercising, your muscles will shrink and your fat will grow!