Six Weight Loss Laws That Need to be Repealed

Many people are professing certain rules regarding losing weight that are not true in all cases, and might not even be true most of the time. Below are six 'rules' of weight loss that you can safely ignore.

1. Avoid carbohydrates like the plague. This is perpetuated by the multitude of high protein diets-the most famous of which is, of course, the Atkins diet. These meal plans require a diet rich in protein and extremely low in carbohydrates. While such diets can produce significant weight loss in the short term, the results are usually not long-lived and as soon as you start eating normally again, the weight comes right back back, even more than before. And it's impossible for most people to maintain one of these diets for any length of time. Now, this doesn't mean you should run out and begin stuffing yourself with donuts and ice cream. Minimizing consumption of the junk carbs our society seems to be addicted to is worthy goal for overall health as well as weight loss. But don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

2. You can't do anything about your genetics.
To a certain extent, genetics do play a role in determining your metabolism, but this doesn't meant your fat fate is sealed if your parents and their ancestors were overweight. The main factor in determining success at any healthy weight maintenance program is the number of calories eaten versus the amount of physical activity. Yes, genetics influence how many calories you will burn, as those with slower metabolic rates may burn fewer calories than those who are active and have higher metabolic rates. But there are plenty of methods you can use to rev up a slow metabolism.

3. Eat grapefruit, lose weight. There is a group of individuals who are promoting grapefruit as a miracle way to lose fat. In fact there is one small piece of research that indicates that this fruit contains a fat-burning enzyme that can help you lose weight simply by consuming it. However, the validity of the claim has been called into question, and it seems that the citrus industry partially funded that study. Grapefruit is a healthy food rich in lycopene - which may well help preven cancer and heart disease, but the fruit is not a magic weight loss pill.

4. To take in less calories, skip meals whenever possible. Thankfully, this one seems to be dying out. Skipping meals can lower your metabolism and make it more difficult to lose weight. Regular meals are important, and what you need to do is to consume more of the foods which are good for you, which means more salads, vegetables, nuts, fruits, and healthy lean protein. Snack on a slice of juicy watermelon instead of grabbing that scoop of your favorite chocolate ice-cream.

5. Avoid all fat. Some people believe it's required to eliminate the consumption of fat during a weight loss program. Actually, you need to cut down on the bad fats and increase your intake of the good fats. Synthetic trans fats are the villians, along with many, but not all, types of saturated fats. Avoid these as much as possible. However, you want to replace them with the intake of healthy fats such as the Omega-3's that are abundant in foods like fatty fish, olive oil, and avocados.

6.Avoid all white foods. This one probably started with white flour, which is a good thing for anyone interested in their health to avoid. However, it then spread to everything that's white. Pears, nuts, bananas - these are healthy foods and it's fine to include them in moderation. Even the recently-much-maligned white potato can be eaten in moderation when combined with protein and healthy fat foods. What counts is the nutrients contained in the foods, not the color. Pumpkin, carrots and cantelope are good for you and orange flavored Kool-Aid, not so much. So make your choice based on the individual food and don't lump foods together because of their color.

There we have six of the myths of weight loss that you may have heard stated as fact. If you question what some unthinking people proclaim as facts and do your own research, you'll be on the way to a healthier lifestle and maintain a healthy weight to boot. And even if the research indicates that something is good for weight loss or health, if it doesn't work for you, then don't be afraid to drop it. We're all basically the same, but we're all at least a little bit different.