Dieting Myth #1:


People Lack Willpower

Dr. Freedhoff says:

The first myth of modern day dieting is that willpower is required. Yet people often spend more willpower on weight management than any other area of their lives.

Has there really been an epidemic global loss of willpower over the course of the past 60 years? I don't think so. We as a society haven't changed, the world around us has.

In this day and age, and in this toxic food environment, weight struggles aren't a willpower issue, they're as Yale's Dr. David Katz would put it, a skillpower issue.
 

Dieting Myth #2: 

Scales Measure Health


Dr. Freedhoff says:

Scales don't measure the presence or absence of health.

Nor do they measure happiness, self-worth, or success.

Scales measure ONE thing, and ONE thing only.

Scales measure WEIGHT.

Dieting Myth #3: 

Dieting Must be Difficult

Dr. Freedhoff says:

Simply put, weight lost through suffering comes back.

While there's no doubt that weight management and healthful living require effort, if the efforts required include regularly facing off with hunger, blindly denying yourself foods you enjoy, or following a dietary regime that doesn't fit your tastes, they're not going to last.

Whatever program or diet you undertake, the most important predictor of your likelihood of long-term success is being able to answer, "yes" to the question, "could you happily live this way for the rest of your life", with the key word there being, "happily".

Dieting Myth #4: 

Don't Eat Unless You're Hungry

Dr. Freedhoff says:

For those who struggle with dietary control I can't imagine a more dangerous piece of advice than, "you should wait until you're hungry to eat".

Hunger influences choice. Shop at the supermarket hungry and you'll see that influence in action. Sit down to a meal hungry and while you're not shopping from an aisle, instead you'll be shopping from your fridge, cupboard, plate or a menu and no doubt, your choices will be different.

On the other hand, organize your eating so that you're not hungry, and then you've got a shot, as "willpower", when it comes to dietary choice, is often simply the absence of hunger.

Dieting Myth #5: 

Forks Can Be OutRun

Dr. Freedhoff says:

80% of your modifiable weight is likely determined by your dietary choices leaving only 20% for your fitness choices.

While exercise has truly fantastic health benefits and markedly mitigates the risks of weight, you're far more likely to lose weight in your kitchen than you are in your gym.

If you're exercising solely for the purpose of weight management, you run the risk of quitting perhaps the single healthiest behaviour you could adopt if and when the scales don't fly down.

Unless you plan on spending a heroic part of each and every day running, you're not going to outrun your fork.