Want to Lose Weight for Good? 5 Myths Busted
Want to Lose Weight for Good? 5 Myths Busted
There’s no shortage of advice on how to lose weight, but a lot of it just doesn’t hold up. Social media, clickbait headlines, and old diet rules still make the rounds, confusing people who just want to feel better and get healthier.
If you’re trying to lose weight in a way that actually lasts, don’t waste your time on extreme rules and oversimplified advice. Here are five weight loss myths I still hear way too often—and the real facts behind them.
MYTH 1: Don’t eat after 8 p.m.
TRUTH:
Your body doesn’t run on a clock. It doesn’t suddenly stop digesting food once the sun goes down. What matters most is your total intake for the day, not when you eat.
This myth sticks around because people often snack mindlessly in the evening. It’s not the time—it’s the habits. If stopping food at 8 p.m. helps you avoid late-night snacking, that’s fine. But if you’re legitimately hungry at 9 p.m. and haven’t met your energy needs for the day, a small snack is completely reasonable.
MYTH 2: Avoid white foods like pasta, bread, and potatoes
TRUTH:
It’s not the color—it’s the quantity and context. Carbs are not the enemy. Eating a mountain of pasta with no veggies or protein is the issue, not the pasta itself. The same goes for bread and potatoes.
Potatoes, for example, are loaded with potassium and vitamin C. But they’re often deep-fried or covered in butter and sour cream. The problem isn’t the potato—it’s what gets added to it and how much is eaten. Whole-grain bread and moderate portions of pasta can absolutely fit into a balanced plan.
MYTH 3: Don’t mix certain foods together or you won’t digest them properly
TRUTH:
Your body knows exactly how to digest carbs, protein, and fat all at once. It does this all the time. There’s no need to separate foods or follow some “food combining” chart.
Combining protein with carbohydrates or fat can actually help you feel full and stabilize your blood sugar. Think apple with peanut butter, or a turkey sandwich on whole-grain bread. Your digestive system can handle it just fine.
MYTH 4: You should only eat 1200 calories a day to lose weight
TRUTH:
Unless you’re a very small and inactive person, 1200 calories is probably too low. It’s not a magic number. Many people can eat more than that and still lose weight, especially if they’re active.
Instead of jumping to a low-calorie diet, figure out how much you’re eating now. Track for a few days, then create a reasonable deficit—something like 200 to 500 calories less per day. That’s more manageable, and you’ll be less likely to rebound later.
MYTH 5: Eat a low-fat diet to lose weight
TRUTH:
Low-fat isn’t automatically better. Many low-fat foods are often loaded with sugar, sodium, and other additives to enhance their taste. Plus, fat helps with satisfaction and fullness—especially fats from foods like nuts, seeds, avocado, and salmon.
The fats worth limiting are saturated fats from processed meats and high-fat dairy products. But healthy fats have a place in a balanced eating plan, even when weight loss is the goal.
BONUS MYTH 6: Eat low-carb to lose weight
TRUTH:
Low-carb diets have been around forever, just under different names—keto, Atkins, carnivore. Yes, cutting carbs can lead to quick weight loss at first, but much of that is water weight, not fat loss. And most people don’t stick with it long-term because it’s restrictive and cuts out many foods they actually enjoy.
Carbohydrates are not inherently fattening. The key is the type and the amount. Whole grains, beans, fruits, and starchy vegetables are all sources of carbs—and they also provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Skipping them means missing out on nutrients that support overall health, not just weight.
If cutting back on carbs helps reduce excess calories or improve blood sugar for someone, that’s a strategy. But “low-carb” doesn’t mean “better,” and it’s definitely not necessary for successful, sustainable weight loss. Balance is the real solution.
Bottom Line
Weight loss doesn’t require cutting out entire food groups, eating tiny portions, or following strict rules that make your life harder. It’s about consistency, not perfection.
Make realistic changes you can actually stick with. Skip the trends, ignore the hype, and give yourself time. It’s not a race—and those who go slow and steady are more likely to maintain their results.
Real World Nutrition Refreshed: I am revitalizing and updating my blog archive and re-publishing it. Stay tuned as I review, update, refresh, and re-share these posts to provide you with even more valuable information on nutrition, health, and overall wellness—and keep things timely. A portion of this blog was initially posted on March 15, 2021, and is updated here.
