Busting the Body Myths Part 2

Continuing from our part 1…
3) If I don’t eat all day and have just one meal in the evening, I will lose weight. False. In order to keep the metabolic rate elevated, we need to eat regular meals three or more times a day, depending on the amount we eat in one meal. When you eat only once in 24 hours, your body has to conserve fuel for long periods of time. To lose weight, however, you need to get rid of extra fuel quickly. The worst time to eat your largest meal is in the evening because you’re moving more slowly and are less likely to burn off calories. It is much better to eat your main meal in the middle of the day, since this is the time when the metabolism is higher because you are on the move. There is another potential problem with eating only one meal per day: You are far more likely to eat more in one sitting than you would normally eat if you were having three meals per day. The bottom line is that if you eat more calories than you burn, you will store those extra calories as fat. Many people who eat one meal per day tend to pick and snack throughout the day on chocolate bars and cookies, since they are under the illusion that they are not eating much. All of these habits are more likely to increase your total caloric intake throughout the day one way or another, which means more fat.

4) Diet pills are a safe and effective way to lose weight. False. There are so many diet pills available without a prescription. Over-the-counter diet products can be on the shelves as long as they comply with labeling regulations and contain approved ingredients in approved amounts. However, many of these drugs act on the central nervous system and have potentially harmful and unpleasant side effects. A friend of mine was placed on a “metabolism booster” drug, which gave her hallucinations, violent headaches and insomnia. After a week on the drug, she looked and felt awful and was unable to continue taking it.

For those who do persevere, however, these drugs can be addictive. Appetite suppressants—or any other drugs associated with weight loss—should be taken only by clinically obese patients, when prescribed by a doctor. Even in these circumstances, it is still a very controversial area; a lot of researchers say that appetite suppressants shouldn’t be used at all. There is a difference between foods that are advertised as helping you lose weight as part of a calorie-controlled diet (such as many diet drinks) and slimming products (such as those that promise to reduce your appetite). Remember: Even water will help you lose weight as part of a calorie-controlled diet.

Find out more misconceptions at our next part of this series!