You may have wanted to start to lose weight many times in the past, only to shy away from it because of some of the things you’ve heard or the self-doubt you have to succeed. There are many myths about weight loss, and hopefully, we’ll dispel them today!

The number one myth people fall prey to is that you can lose weight fast by eliminating as many calories as possible from your diet or by starving yourself.  This is an extremely unhealthy way to go about it because your body goes into starvation mode, shutting down as much weight loss as possible. Some people only want to lose weight fast because they have an outfit they want to fit into for a special occasion coming up next week. Don’t wait until the last minute to start your weight loss program.

Another myth we face in our quest for a slimmer waistline is the one that tells us to only eat a certain type of food all day, every day. Grapefruit, pepper-laden water, and even hot dog diet fads have resulted in many binges over the years. Following dangerous fad diets means your body’s not getting the necessary nutrients it needs to fight off illnesses and stay healthy.

You may have also heard that you can never stray from your program. If you do, you’ll need to exercise for hours to make up for it. This isn’t true. It’s okay to have that fudge brownie once in awhile. You only need to adjust your calorie intake for the day. There’s really no need to exercise for hours just to compensate for one little treat.

How about the one that says you can’t eat anything between meals? It’s better that you do eat snacks. Eat smaller meals throughout the day to keep your hunger satisfied. By eliminating snacks between meals, you’re only going to make yourself hungrier at meal times, which cause you to eat a lot more than you really need just to satisfy your hunger.

There’s another myth that says you shouldn’t consume any dairy products at all because they’re too fattening. Dairy contains nutrients your body needs, so you should have some dairy—in fact, some studies suggest those who consume, have better weight loss success! Just make sure you limit your amounts and go for the low-fat versions.

Try not to fall victim to the myriad of diet myths circulating the ‘net. A healthy balance of proper eating (most of the time) and exercise can work wonders for your weight loss success!