5 Biggest Diet Lies

There's a lot of bad nutrition information out there—some of it is outdated, a lot of it isn't backed by any scientific evidence, and then there's a great deal of advice that's just plain wrong. Here are just five of the myths (and real facts) that you need to know: 

If you exercise a lot, you'll lose weight
Unfortunately, no. Exercise is a critical part of a healthy lifestyle. It improves cardiovascular, muscular, and brain health, insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, and depression, but exercise on its own will not help you lose weight. The only strategy that consistently works well for weight loss is to focus on your diet. Stick to whole foods and eat smaller portions. That said, exercise will help with weight maintenance.

Eating fat will make you fat
Not true. Dietary fat is essential for blood clotting and muscle movement. It's a required ingredient for building cell membranes and the protective shields around nerves. It also helps us absorb vitamins and minerals from the foods we eat. Just make sure you eat healthy fats—from nuts, seeds, fish, olive oil, coconut oil, eggs and avocados. According to scientists at the NIH, eating more fat actually shuts off your brain’s hunger and craving centers. When we're not eating fat, we tend to eat more refined carbs and sugar, both of which have been strongly linked to weight gain and obesity.
 
Skip meals to lose weight faster
This is a bad idea. People who skip a meal (i.e. "today I'm not eating anything after lunch") end up consuming those lost calories (and then some) later that day or the next. Going hungry rather than filling up on satisfying foods that are rich in nutrients may cause you to crave foods that are higher in fat and sugar. Why? If your body believes it’s starving, it will crave those high-calorie foods that contain the energy it needs to continue functioning. If you want to lose weight in a healthy way, start by eating smaller portions and focus on whole foods, including plenty of vegetables and lean sources of protein.
 
Eggs are bad for you 
Eggs are perfectly safe, even if you’re eating up to 3 whole eggs a day. Considering their range of nutrients and powerful health benefits, high-quality, pasture-raised eggs are among the healthiest foods on the planet: They’re high in omega-3s and important vitamins and loaded with nutrients including antioxidants that reduce your risk of eye diseases, and choline, a nutrient that plays an essential role in all cells. Eggs are high in quality animal protein which is necessary for increased muscle mass and better bone health. Plus they keep you full. Cholesterol in food does not raise blood cholesterol levels in most people. But if you are among the minority who is hypersensitive to high-cholesterol foods (they raise your blood cholesterol), check with your doctor. 
 
It's best to just avoid carbs 
Carbs are a major macronutrient and one of your body’s primary sources of energy. The key is to eat the right carbs, not avoid them completely. What you want are complex carbs: They’re higher in fiber and digest more slowly. This makes them more filling, which means they’re a good option for weight control, and they also help manage blood sugar spikes after meals (as opposed to simple carbs like refined flour and sugar, which spike blood sugar and cause weight gain)
 
Fiber and starch are the two types of complex carbohydrates. Fiber is especially important because it promotes bowel regularity and helps control cholesterol. Complex carbs that are high in fiber are fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and whole grains. Starch is also found in some of the same foods as fiber. The difference is certain foods are considered more starchy than fibrous, such as potatoes. Other high-starch foods are whole wheat bread, cereal, corn, oats, peas and rice. If you’re trying to slim down, skip the starchy carbs.