5 interesting facts about weight loss

There are many things about weight loss that most people don’t know. Here are some interesting facts about what really does help you lose weight and what is just a waste of time and money.

1. Starving yourself is NOT the best way to lose weight

Crash diets are unlikely to result in long-term weight loss. In fact, they can sometimes lead to longer term weight gain.

The main problem is that this type of diet is too hard to maintain. Your body will be low on energy, causing you to crave high-fat and high-sugar foods.

2. Carbohydrates will NOT make you put on weight

Eaten in the right quantities, carbohydrates will not cause weight gain.

A 2003 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that dieters on the best-known low-carb diet, the Atkins diet, tended to lose weight not because they ate fewer carbohydrates, but simply because they ate less overall.

Eat whole grain and wholemeal carbohydrates such as brown rice and wholemeal bread, and don't fry starchy foods when trying to lose weight.

3. Slimming pills are NOT effective for long-term weight loss

No, they're not. Slimming pills alone will not help you keep the weight off long term. They should only be used when prescribed by a doctor. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume.

Successful weight loss involves making small changes that you can stick to for a long time. That means building regular physical activity into your daily routine.

Adults between 19 and 64 should get at least 150 minutes of physical activity every week, and those who are overweight are likely to need more than this to lose weight.

4. Drinking water does not help you lose weight

Water does not cause you to lose weight, but it does keep you hydrated and might help you snack less.

Water is essential for good health and wellbeing. Sometimes thirst can be mistaken for hunger – if you're thirsty you may snack more. The Department of Health recommends that we should drink about 1.2 litres of fluid every day.

5. Foods labelled up low fat or reduced fat are not always the healthy choice

Be cautious. Foods labelled low fat have to meet legal criteria to use that label.

Labels such as reduced fat do not have to meet the same criteria and can be misleading.

A reduced-fat snack should contain less fat than the full-fat version, but that doesn't automatically make it a healthy choice: it could still contain a lot more fat than, say, a portion of fruit. Low-fat foods also sometimes contain high levels of sugar.

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