In my many failed attempts to lose weight over the years I’ve come across boat loads of free advice.

I’ll tell you what, it’s been worth every penny!

Everybody is an expert when it comes to weight loss. Everyone knows how to lose weight. Ask someone, anyone, “how can I lose weight?” I guarantee you that everybody has an answer. Nobody is going to say “I’m not sure.” The reason everybody has an answer is because different ways to lose weight are pounded into our subconscious every moment of every day. On my morning commute, 2 out of every 5 billboards are weight loss related. There are channels dedicated to weight loss infomercials that run 24 hours a day.

Everyone has an answer.

Which answer is right? I’m not even going to try and answer that question in this post, but over the next few months we are going to begin reviewing different weight loss and exercise programs so stay tuned for that. I know you’ll all be glued to your computer screens when I take my first Zumba class.

I can tell you what doesn’t work though. I’m going to give you five common weight loss myths and I’ll disprove them all in this post. Let’s get started, shall we?

1. Switching to Diet Soda Will Help You Lose Weight – Consuming less calories will help you lose weight is a true statement. Logically, one would think that avoiding calories from soda would help with weight loss. New research however, is showing that diet soda can trigger sweet cravings which could potentially lead to reckless donut consumption. I can tell you from my own experience that switching to Diet soda actually caused me to gain weight. I did a really good job of finding my calories elsewhere when they weren’t coming from my Diet Pepsi.
2. Salads are a healthy choice – For every delicious, nutritious, and waistline-friendly salad out there, there is an evil twin. He wears a lettuce and tomato mask but will occasionally rear his blue cheese full fat dressing when you’re least expecting it. After the initial blow you find yourself inhaling bacon bits and deep fried breaded chicken. 700 calories and 40 grams of fat later, you’re wondering how on earth your you were taken advantage by such a sneaky culprit.
3. Gym memberships are required – I’ve heard the excuse many times. “I don’t have money for a gym pass. I can’t lose weight until I can go to the gym.” My response, “How much does running cost?” Aside from running there are so many exercises that can be done in the comfort of your own home for very little money. A set of small weights, a yoga mat, a jump rope, and an exercise ball can be combined (or used separately) for countless exercises. Check out our Exercise Library for some ideas. We are updating it with more and more exercises every day!
4. Fats are the enemy – In the mid to late nineties, the US went through a low fat phase. Seemingly everything was branded as low fat or nonfat. The problem was that most food producers and manufacturers came up with a fat free product that was loaded with sugar, sodium, and other additives to give the food flavor. The truth is that up to 30% of your diet should come from fats. Try to stick with unsaturated fats found in foods like avocados, nuts, fish, and flax seed oil. Fats are more filling than carbs or proteins and will keep you feeling fuller longer.
5. Don’t eat at night – this is one that I hear people talk about all the time. “I’m going to stop eating after 7:00pm. The myth is that calories after a certain hour somehow turn into super calories that attack our bodies and make us fat. The time you eat doesn’t matter at all. Spacing meals out evenly throughout the day is a good strategy, but more important than when you eat, is what you eat. I would say that eating late at night generally turns out bad because cravings are heightened and we make bad food choices. There is nothing wrong with eating late at night. It will not impede your weight loss.

There you have it, 5 weight loss myths officially busted.

What other weight loss advice have you received that turned out to be complete junk?

More good reads:

• 5 Things Not to Do at the Salad Bar
• Revealed: Why Your Workout is Putting You to Sleep
• 3 Stories We Tell Ourselves to Stay Fat