1. All calories are equal
The calorie is a measurement of energy. All calories have the same energy content. However, this does not mean that all calorie sources have the same effects on your weight. Different foods go through different metabolic pathways and can have vastly different effects on hunger and the hormones that regulate your body weight. For example, a protein calorie is not the same as a fat or carb calorie.
Replacing carbs and fat with protein can boost your metabolism and reduce appetite and cravings, all while optimizing the function of some weight-regulating hormones (1, 2, 3).
Also, calories from whole foods like fruit tend to be much more filling than calories from refined foods, such as candy.
2. Losing weight is a linear process
Losing weight is usually not a linear process, as some people think. Some days and weeks you may lose weight, while during others you may gain a little bit. This is not a cause for concern. It’s normal for body weight to fluctuate up and down by a few pounds. For example, you may be carrying more food in your digestive system or holding on to more water than usual. This is even more pronounced in women, as water weight can fluctuate significantly during the menstrual cycle (4). As long as the general trend is going downwards, no matter how much it fluctuates, you will still succeed in losing weight over the long term.
3. Eat less, move more
Body fat is simply stored energy. To lose fat, you need to burn more calories than you take in. For this reason, it seems only logical that eating less and moving more would cause weight loss. While this advice works in theory, especially if you make a permanent lifestyle change, it’s a bad recommendation for those with a serious weight problem. Most people who follow this advice end up regaining any lost weight due to physiological and biochemical factors (6). A major and sustained change in perspective and behavior is needed to lose weight with diet and exercise. Restricting your food intake and getting more physical activity isn’t enough. Instructing someone with obesity to simply eat less and move more is like telling someone with depression to cheer up or someone with alcoholism to drink less.
4. Carbs make you fat
Low-carb diets can aid weight loss (8, 9). In many cases, this happens even without conscious calorie restriction. As long as you keep carb intake low and protein intake high, you’ll lose weight (10, 11). Even so, this does not mean that carbs cause weight gain. While the obesity epidemic started around 1980, humans have been eating carbs for a very long time. In fact, whole foods that are high in carbs are very healthy. On the other hand, refined carbs like refined grains and sugar are definitely linked to weight gain.
5. Diet foods can help you lose weight
A lot of junk food is marketed as healthy. Examples include low-fat, fat-free, and processed gluten-free foods, as well as high-sugar beverages. You should be skeptical of any health claims on food packaging, especially on processed items. These labels usually exist to deceive — not inform. Some junk food marketers will encourage you to buy their fattening junk food. In fact, if the packaging of a food tells you that it’s healthy, there’s a chance it’s the exact opposite.
We believe in making healthy, lifelong changes to your daily eating and exercise patterns. Physician’s Weight Control & Wellness’s programs are different from other weight loss programs in that they are specifically constructed by bariatric specialists to meet each patient’s individual needs based on their body chemistry, lifestyle, and weight loss goals. Our individualized programs focus on providing positive alternatives to unhealthy habits and targeting foods which provide your body with the specific nutrients it needs for optimal energy and fat metabolism. Practical exercise and hydration are also implemented into our overall program.
We encourage you to become a part of our successful weight loss program. We offer 50 years of safety, experience, knowledge and expertise found nowhere else!
Contact us with any questions about Physician’s Weight Control & Wellness Center and how we can help you in your journey to better health.
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