This post was written based on an appearance by Ryan Singerman, DO, PPG - Weight Management & Bariatric Surgery, on the program PBS Healthline.
Trying to lose weight can sometimes feel like an impossible feat. With so many of us trying to accomplish this difficult task, myths and half-truths around weight loss are everywhere. It can be hard to know what to believe. Let’s break down four common weight loss myths to help you better understand how to manage your weight.
Myth 1: “I’m not eating enough to lose weight.”
This idea stems from the concept that if you eat too little, you’ll put your body into starvation mode, and it will hoard calories and you won’t lose weight. This often prompts people to start eating many small meals a day, which can sometimes add to their problems instead of helping them.
So, can you eat too little for weight loss? Strictly speaking, no. Weight loss happens when we eat at a calorie deficit. Think about someone who gets lost in the woods for an extended time. Often, when they are found they are very skinny from undernourishment. If it were possible to eat too little to lose weight, these people would have maintained their weight.
Adjusting your calorie intake to lose weight is all about balance. Eating too few calories can eat into your muscles and start to harm your vital organs. Ideally, you want to have a physician or registered dietician help you find an appropriate calorie balance so that you’re eating in a healthy way that can also promote weight loss.
Myth 2: “BMI is the best way to measure health.”
Body mass index (BMI) is a somewhat outdated measurement of health. It was first developed in the 1940s by the United States government to help them determine how many calories were needed to feed an army for World War II. The BMI chart is based off of the needs and proportions of men aged 18-24. So, there is a lot of the population that this doesn’t accurately measure. Plus, your BMI doesn’t differentiate between muscle and fat, so you could be very muscular and have a BMI over 30 (a previous definition of obesity) but be low in fat and in good health.
A better definition of obesity is having an unhealthy amount of body fat around your internal organs. Fat doesn’t just accumulate under your skin, but also around your vital organs like your heart, liver and kidneys. An easy way to start to gauge this for yourself is to measure the circumference of your abdomen at about two inches above your belly button. The narrower your waist, the healthier your weight.
Myth 3: “Supplements help me lose weight.”
The market is flooded with supplements that claim to help people lose weight quickly. However, the supplement industry is not regulated by the FDA, so companies are essentially allowed to make whatever claims they want to about their products. When the FDA did a study with the Mayo Clinic, they found that many supplements that were being sold as herbal remedies actually contained off-label medicines. Many of these medicines had been pulled off the market in the United States due to safety concerns.
Be very careful with weight loss supplements. If they seem too good to be true, then they likely are. It’s recommended that you talk with your doctor before trying a weight loss supplement so they can monitor you more closely.
Myth 4: “I can’t lose weight because of my hormones.”
While your hormones do play a role in your weight, their effect tends to get oversimplified. Many people believe they can’t lose weight or are gaining weight because they are going through menopause or because of an underactive thyroid.
During menopause, the estrogen and progesterone in a woman’s body lowers, but studies have shown that this hormone adjustment does not cause weight gain. It does, however, cause your body to shift where weight is stored. So, the weight that you were carrying on the periphery, might move to your middle, making your belly feel bigger. This can make you feel like you’ve gained weight but pound for pound you’ve stayed the same. Also, as we age our bodies burn fewer calories than they used to when we were younger.
An underactive thyroid can lead to a condition called myxedema, which is where your body starts to build up fluid in the legs. The fluid can, and often does, add weight to your body but it is unrelated to body fat. Treating the myxedema often leads to weight loss but it’s a reduction in fluid not fat. Data show that an underactive thyroid also leads to reduced hunger but leaves the body fat levels neutral.
Make strides for healthy weight loss
There are healthy ways to lose weight (without sacrificing all your favorite foods). If you’re considering starting a weight loss plan, talk with your doctor about it. A physician or registered dietician can help you make a plan to help you balance your nutrition and lose weight.
Want more guidance?
If you enjoyed the information in this post, you’ll love these videos in Dr. Singerman’s weight loss myth series:
Myth No. 2 - I can exercise my way to weight loss
Myth No. 6 – I’m overweight, but I’m healthy
Myth No. 7 – I can sculpt six-pack abs with the right workout
Myth No. 8 – I can quit smoking without losing weight
Myth No. 9 – I can sweat out extra weight
Myth No. 10 – Drinking a lot of water will help me lose weight
Myth No. 11 – You can lose too much weight, too fast
Myth No. 12 – I can’t get through a weight loss plateau
Myth No. 13 – A “Dad bod” is harmless
To learn more about the resources available to you at PPG - Weight Management & Bariatric Surgery, including free seminars, call 260-425-6390 or fill out this form and one of our care team members will contact you with more information.
