National Nutrition Month: Fact or Fiction

  • Published
  • By Jacqueline Maillet
  • Health and Wellnes Center Registered Dietician
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  This month is National Nutrition Month and the theme is "It's a Matter of Fact". Do you know your nutrition facts? Marketing ploys, wishful thinking, clever phrases, media hype and celebrity testimonies sure can make it difficult. Listed below are some of those common myths. Test yourself and see if you know fact from wishful thinking.

Myth: "I can lose weight while eating whatever I want."

Fact: To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you eat. It is possible to eat any kind of food you want and lose weight. You need to limit the number of calories you eat every day ... or increase your daily activity. Portion control is the key. Try eating smaller amounts of foods that are low in calories.

Tip: When trying to lose weight, you can still eat your favorite foods - as long as you pay attention to the total number of calories you eat. To find out just how many calories you need, check out www.MyPyramid.gov.

Myth: Low-fat or fat-free means no calories.

Fact: A low-fat or fat-free food is often lower in calories than the same size portion of the full-fat product. But many processed low-fat or fat-free foods have just as many calories as the full-fat version of the same food (some times even more calories-yikes!). They may contain added sugar, flour or starch thickeners to improve flavor and texture after the fat is removed. These ingredients add up to calories.

Tip: Check out the nutrition facts label for calories and, of course, serving size.

Myth: Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.

Fact: Studies show that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day tend to be heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast and eat four or five times a day. This may be because people who skip meals tend to feel hungrier later on and eat more than they normally would. Yet other folks don't count the calories that are ingested under the radar (while working, watching TV or otherwise mentally occupied), and overeat justifying their calories. It may also be that eating small meals with snacks in between helps to control hunger, appetites and cravings.

Myth: Eating after 8 p.m. causes weight gain.

Fact: It does not matter what time of day you eat. It is what and how much you eat and how much physical activity you do during the whole day that determines whether you gain, lose or maintain your weight. No matter when you eat, your body will store extra calories as fat.

Tip: If you want to have a snack before bedtime, think first about how many calories you have eaten that day. And try to avoid snacking in front of the TV at night.

Myth: Fad diets work for permanent weight loss.

Fact: Fad diets are not the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Fad diets often promise quick weight loss or tell you to cut certain foods out of your diet. You may lose weight at first on one of the diets, but diets that strictly limit calories or food choices are hard to follow. Most people quickly get tired of them and regain any lost weight. Fad diets usually don't provide all of the nutrients that your body needs. Also, losing weight at a very rapid rate (more than 3 pounds a week after the first couple of weeks) may increase your risk for developing gallstones. Diets that provide less than 800 calories per day also could result in heart rhythm abnormalities and can be fatal.

Myth: It is normal and good to lose 10 to 14 pounds per week, just like on the TV show, Biggest Loser.

Fact: The folks on the TV show the Biggest Loser experience dramatic (and probably unhealthy) weight loss because they have been removed from their lives and placed in a bubble with the main focus on eating well, physical activity and weight loss. The general public cannot stop their lives to lose weight and must be tempted and tried by normal life. Healthy weight loss is no more than 1 to 2 pounds per week.