Weight Loss that Lasts: Chemical Food Additives - are They Slowly Killing ...

Weight Loss that Lasts: Chemical Food Additives - are They Slowly Killing ...: Chemical Food Additives,  are they Slowly Killing Us? Thom Underwood, CNC  Food additives find their way into our foods to help e...

Chemical Food Additives - are They Slowly Killing Us?

Chemical Food Additives, 

are they Slowly Killing Us?Thom Underwood, CNC 

Food additives find their way into our foods to help ease processing, packaging and storage. But how do we know what food additives is in that box of macaroni and cheese and why does it have such a long shelf life?  A typical American household spends about 90 percent of their food budget on processed foods, and are in doing so exposed to a plethora of artificial food additives, many of which can cause dire consequences to your health.

Some food additives are worse than others. Here’s a list of the top food additives to avoid:

1. Artificial Sweeteners
Aspartame, (E951) more popularly known as Nutrasweet and Equal, is found in foods labeled "diet" or "sugar free". Aspartame is believed to be carcinogenic and accounts for more reports of adverse reactions than all other foods and food additives combined. Aspartame is not your friend. Aspartame is a neurotoxin and carcinogen. Known to erode intelligence and affect short-term memory, the components of this toxic sweetener may lead to a wide variety of ailments including brain tumor, diseases like lymphoma, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue, emotional disorders like depression and anxiety attacks, dizziness, headaches, nausea, mental confusion, migraines and seizures. Acesulfame-K, a relatively new artificial sweetener found in baking goods, gum and gelatin, has not been thoroughly tested and has been linked to kidney tumors. Read more about the dangers of Aspartame here.

Found in: diet or sugar free sodas, diet coke, coke zero, jello (and over gelatins), desserts, sugar free gum, drink mixes, baking goods, table top sweeteners, cereal, breath mints, pudding, Kool-Aid, ice tea, chewable vitamins, toothpaste

2. High Fructose Corn Syrup
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a highly-refined artificial sweetener which has become the number one source of calories in America. It is found in almost all processed foods. HFCS packs on the pounds faster than any other ingredient, increases your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels, and contributes to the development of diabetes and tissue damage, among other harmful effects.

Found in: most processed foods, breads, candy, flavored yogurts, salad dressings, canned vegetables, cereals,

3. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG / E621)
MSG is an amino acid used as a flavor enhancer in soups, salad dressings, chips, frozen entrees, and many restaurant foods. MSG is known as an excitotoxin, a substance which overexcites cells to the point of damage or death. Studies show that regular consumption of MSG may result in adverse side effects which include depression, disorientation, eye damage, fatigue, headaches, and obesity. MSG effects the neurological pathways of the brain and disengaged the "I'm full" function which explains the effects of weight gain.

Found in: Chinese food (Chinese Restaurant Syndrome) many snacks, chips, cookies, seasonings, most Campbell Soup products, frozen dinners, lunch meats

4. Trans Fat
Trans-fat is used to enhance and extend the shelf life of food products and is among the most dangerous substances that you can consume. Found in deep-fried fast foods and certain processed foods made with margarine or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, Trans fats are formed by a process called hydrogenation. Numerous studies show that trans-fat increases LDL cholesterol levels while decreasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol, increases the risk of heart attacks, heart disease and strokes, and contributes to increased inflammation, diabetes and other health problems. Oils and fat are now forbidden on the Danish market if they contain trans-fatty acids exceeding 2 per cent, a move that effectively bans partially hydrogenated oils.

Found in: margarine, chips and crackers, baked goods, fast foods

5. Common Food Dyes
Studies show that artificial colorings which are found in soda, fruit juices and salad dressings, may contribute to behavioral problems in children and lead to a significant reduction in IQ. Animal studies have linked other food colorings to cancer. Watch out for these ones:

Blue #1 and Blue #2 (E133)

Banned in Norway, Finland and France. May cause chromosomal damage

Found in: candy, cereal, soft drinks, sports drinks and pet foods

Red dye # 3 (also Red #40 – a more current dye) (E124)

Banned in 1990 after 8 years of debate from use in many foods and cosmetics. This dye continues to be on the market until supplies run out! Has been proven to cause thyroid cancer and chromosomal damage in laboratory animals, may also interfere with brain-nerve transmission

Found in: fruit cocktail, maraschino cherries, cherry pie mix, ice cream, candy, bakery products and more!

Yellow #6 (E110) and Yellow Tartrazine (E102)

Banned in Norway and Sweden. Increases the number of kidney and adrenal gland tumors in laboratory animals, may cause chromosomal damage.

Found in: American cheese, macaroni and cheese, candy and carbonated beverages, lemonade and more!

6. Sodium Sulfite (E221)
Preservative used in wine-making and other processed foods. According to the FDA, approximately one in 100 people is sensitive to sulfites in food. The majority of these individuals are asthmatic, suggesting a link between asthma and sulfites. Individuals who are sulfite sensitive may experience headaches, breathing problems, and rashes. In severe cases, sulfites can actually cause death by closing down the airway altogether, leading to cardiac arrest.

Found in: Wine and dried fruit 

7. Sodium Nitrate/Sodium Nitrite
Sodium nitrate (or sodium nitrite) is used as a preservative, coloring and flavoring in bacon, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats, corned beef, smoked fish and other processed meats. This ingredient, which sounds harmless, is actually highly carcinogenic once it enters the human digestive system. There, it forms a variety of nitrosamine compounds that enter the bloodstream and wreak havoc with a number of internal organs: the liver and pancreas in particular. Sodium nitrite is widely regarded as a toxic ingredient, and the USDA actually tried to ban this additive in the 1970's but was vetoed by food manufacturers who complained they had no alternative for preserving packaged meat products. Why does the industry still use it? Simple: this chemical just happens to turn meats bright red!!! It's actually a color fixer, and it makes old, dead meats appear fresh and vibrant.

Found in: hotdogs, bacon, ham, luncheon meat, cured meats, corned beef, smoked fish or any other type of processed meat.

8. BHA and BHT (E320)
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydrozyttoluene (BHT) are preservatives found in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, and vegetable oils. This common preservative keeps foods from changing color, changing flavor or becoming rancid. Affects the neurological system of the brain, alters behavior and has potential to cause cancer. BHA and BHT are oxidants which form cancer-causing reactive compounds in your body.

Found in: Potato chips, gum, cereal, frozen sausages, enriched rice, lard, shortening, candy, jello

9. Sulfur Dioxide (E220)
Sulfur additives are toxic and in the United States of America, the Federal Drugs Administration have prohibited their use on raw fruit and vegetables. Adverse reactions include: bronchial problems particularly in those prone to asthma, hypotension (low blood pressure), flushing tingling sensations or anaphylactic shock. It also destroys vitamins B1 and E. Not recommended for consumption by children. The International Labour Organization says to avoid E220 if you suffer from conjunctivitis, bronchitis, emphysema, bronchial asthma, or cardiovascular disease.

Found in: beer, soft drinks, dried fruit, juices, cordials, wine, vinegar, and potato products.

10. Potassium Bromate
An additive used to increase volume in some white flour; breads, and rolls, potassium bromate is known to cause cancer in animals. Even small amounts in bread can create problems for humans.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT DIETS DON'T WORK B/C THEY ARE TEMPORARY, THEY HAVE FAILURE BUILT RIGHT INTO THEM. UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT DESTINATION BUT A JOURNEY... INCORPORATE A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE AND YOU WILL GET THE RESULTS YOU’RE LOOKING FOR SOONER OR LATER. PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND WATCH THIS VIDEO. IT’S 20 MINUTES LONG, BUT PACKED WITH DECADES OF NUTRITIONAL INSIGHT. 

http://www.fmtv.com/preview/hungry-for-change?0

Sign Up for a Free Consult - www.weightlossthatlasts.com

Weight Loss that Lasts: Sugar "The White Death" & " The Legal Cocaine"

Weight Loss that Lasts: Sugar "The White Death" & " The Legal Cocaine": Sugar "The White Death" & " The Legal Cocaine"   THIS IS A MUST READ!! By Thom Underwood, CNC When processe...

Sugar "The White Death" & " The Legal Cocaine"

Sugar "The White Death" & " The Legal Cocaine" 

 THIS IS A MUST READ!!

By Thom Underwood, CNC

When processed sugar & junk food are consumed, a massive amount of dopamine is released in an area of the brain called the "nucleus accumbes". When we eat these type of foods in large amounts, dopamine receptors (in the brain) start to down-regulate. Now there are fewer receptors for dopamine. This means that the next time we eat these foods, their effect is blunted. We will need more sugar & junk food next time we eat in order to get the same level of reward. Sugar and other junk foods, due to their powerful effect on the reward centers of the brain, function similarly to drugs of abuse like cocaine and nicotine. Research has proven that the same areas in the brain centers are activated and light when they are consumed. People who have a certain predisposition to addiction become addicted to these foods and lose control over their consumption. This is basically how sugar and other junk foods “hijack” the brain chemistry to make us crave more and eat more. 

Is Sugar Our Friend?

Sugar is not your friend. It may “feel like” your friend when it comforts you (due to the beta- endorphin rush in your brain), but sugar is actually your enemy. The “sugar” has magical powers which cause children to be hyper, irritable, and uptight. This white demon helps to destroy your teeth, kidneys, and pancreas and robs your body of many essential vitamins. Rregular consumption of sugary foods is one of the worst things that you can do to your health. Modern scientific research has shown us, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that sugar in your food (in all its myriad of forms) is taking a devastating toll on your health.

Sugar Addiction & Facts?

Many folks are addicted to sugar and are literally destroying their health. Let’s take a look and see what scientific research is telling us about sugar:

Weight Gain: Eating sugar creates large spikes in blood sugar. Whenever your blood sugar is higher than the current needs of your body, your body will store the extra sugar as fat.

Insulin Insensitivity: Your cells become resistant to insulin when there is constantly too much sugar in your blood stream. Diabetes is a form of insulin insensitivity, and it's completely reversible under a strict sugar-free diet.

Toxic: Sugar is toxic to the blood vessels in the body. In the exact same way that cigarette smoke damages the lungs, sugar in the blood stream damages blood vessels.

Despite these destructive effects on health, sugar consumption has been increasing drastically. Just take a look at the sugar consumption trends of the past 300 years:

In 1700, the average person consumed about 4 pounds of sugar per year.
In 1800, the average person consumed about 18 pounds of sugar per year.

In 1900, individual consumption had risen to 90 pounds of sugar per year.
In 2012, more than 50% of all Americans consume 1/2 pound of sugar per day — translating to a whopping 180 pounds of sugar per year!

In 1890, only 3 people out of 100,000 had diabetes. In 2012, diabetes strikes almost 8,000 out of every 100,000 people!

The “sugar rush” has really been targeted at children. American children are consuming about ten times as much sugar as they were in 1900, especially in the form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is the average American’s largest source of calories! Highly addictive HFCS contains fructose and glucose, but they are not bound together (as they are in table sugar) so your body doesn’t need to break it down. Therefore, the fructose is absorbed immediately, going straight to your liver, which turns it into FAT (VLDL andtriglycerides).

According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, “Fructose also tricks the body into gaining weight by fooling your metabolism (it turns off the appetite-control system. Fructose does not appropriately stimulate insulin, which in turn does not suppress ghrelin (the “hunger hormone”) and doesn’t stimulate leptin (the “satiety hormone”), which together result in your eating more and developing insulin resistance.”

Consequences

But just because you avoid HFCS doesn’t mean that you’re in the clear. Excess intake of all processed sugars results in compromised immune function (decreasing the white blood cells’ ability to destroy bacteria), obesity, and diabetes. Remember that sugar is cancer’s favorite food! And since half of the white sugar in the USA comes from sugar beets, you should remember that most beets are now genetically modified. Yet another reason to stay away from the “White Death” isn’t it? 

I personally recommend that you avoid white sugar, brown sugar, agave, and all artificial sweeteners. 

If you have a sweet tooth, it’s best to

stick with stevia, xylitol, raw honey/maple syrup, molasses, and coconut sugar.

Types of Sugars & Sweeteners

It is easy to become confused by the various sugars and sweeteners, so here is a basic overview:

Saccharide = sugar
Glucose (aka “dextrose” or “grape sugar”), galactose (“milk sugar”), and fructose (“fruit sugar”) are all “monosaccharides” (i.e. single sugar molecules), known as “simple sugars.” The primary difference between them is how your body metabolizes them. Glucose is the form of energy you were designed to run on. Every cell in your body uses glucose for energy. High amounts of fructose are very damaging to thebody, since if fructose isn’t burned immediately for energy, it travels directly to the liver, where it is converted to triglycerides (fats). Excess triglycerides increase insulin resistance (and insulin production), thus contributing to diabetes in a “back door” fashion. The simple sugars can combine to form more complex sugars, like sucrose (“table sugar”) which is a “disaccharide” comprised of 50% glucose and 50% fructose.

“Refined” white sugar (pure sucrose) is washed with a syrup solution, then with hot water, clarified (usually chemically) to remove impurities, decolorized, concentrated, evap- orated, re-boiled until crystals form, centrifuged again to separate, then dried. By this point, any remnants of “natural goodness” and “nutritional value” have completely disappeared! Quite frankly, white sugar should be considered to be an “industrial product” rather than a “food.”

Aspartame is a neurotoxic rat poison ... need I say more?

HFCS is 55% fructose and 45% glucose. Rapadura is the pure juice extracted from the sugar cane (using a press), which is then evaporated over low heats, whilst being stirred with paddles, then sieve ground to produce a grainy sugar. It has not been cooked at highheats, and spun to change it into crystals, and the molasses has not been separated from the sugar. “Sucanat” is the USA trade name forRapadura.

Splenda (sucralose) is NOT a sugar, despite its deceptive marketing slogan, “made from sugar.” It’s a chlorinated artificial sweetener in line with aspartame, though not quite as harmful.

"Brown sugar” is just white sugar mixed with molasses.

“Raw” sugar is not really raw – it has been cooked, and most of the minerals and vitamins are gone. But it’s probably a little better than refined white sugar because it has a little of the molasses remaining.

Honey is approx.- imately 50% fructose, but in natural (raw) form contains many health benefits.

Agave nectar is made from the agave plant, which is a cactus. Sound natural, right? Like maple syrup from a tree, or honey from abeehive. Only it isn’t. Agave is processed and the end product does not even remotely resemble the original agave plant. And agave is approximately 80% fructose (much higher than honey and maple syrup).

Stevia is an extremely sweet herb derived from the leaf of the South American stevia plant, which is completely safe (in its natural form).

Coconut sugar is made from the sweet watery sap that drips from the cut flower buds of fresh coconuts. It has a low glycemic index (GI) and is rich in amino acids. It is typically less than 10% fructose, with sucrose being the primary component.

Xylitol is a sweetener known as a “sugar alcohol” (or polyol). Sugar alcohols are neither sugars nor alcohols – they are carbohydrates (with structures that happen to resemble sugar and alcohol). Xylitol is extracted from birch cellulose. Unlike sugar, Xylitol is slowly absorbed,does not cause a rapid blood sugar increase, and does not require an immediate insulin response from the body to be metabolized. And because Xylitol is anti- bacterial, many studies have shown that it actually helps prevent dental cavities, ear infections, and some evidence suggests that it helps prevent gum disease.

A Heart Disease Connection?

Everyone has heard of hypertension and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), and we’ve all been told by the pharmaceutical companies that this is due to high cholesterol. We are prescribed medications to lower this terrible substance and preserve our lives. But unfortunately, this is not at all factual. The real problem lies in the health of the endothelium (inner lining) of the arterial and venous walls. While it is true that cholesterol will adhere to tears or damage to the endothelial lining, it is not the cause of these lesions. In actuality,insulin causes lesions in the endothelium, so sugar (which causes insulin to be secreted) is the true culprit.

What is insulin? Insulin is a hormone that facilitates the transfer of glucose (blood sugar) from the blood into the cells where it is used as fuel. When blood sugar levels rise, the pancreas secretes insulin into the bloodstream.

The more sugar we consume, the more insulin we secrete. The more insulin we secrete, the more lesions in the endothelium we create. The more lesions we create, the more cholesterol will adhere to these lesions. If we removed all of the cholesterol from our bodies we would lose many things that we require, starting with the brain (which is made of cholesterol), hormones (which are made from cholesterol), and a functioning immune system. Insulin also causes us to store fat, so it is completely logical that obese people have a higher incidence of heart disease. Perhaps if we dealt with medical problems honestly, rather than watching and believing complete fiction (relating to sugar and drugs) on television, we would make true progress in our health.

The bottom line is this:

If you want to be healthy, you must take control of your sugar intake so that it doesn't take control over you. If not IF see a bleak future for you.

For A Free 45 min Consultation go to  meetme.so/ThomUnderwood

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Alcohol and Weight Loss, Can You Have Both?

Alcohol and Weight Loss, Can You Have Both?

By Liz Noelcke

Alcohol and weight loss are enemies, but an occasional drink can have a place in a healthy lifestyle. In fact, many experts note the potential health benefits of consuming a single drink per day, including a reduced risk for high blood pressure. If, however, you are exceeding one drink daily, you might be sabotaging your weight loss plans.

Alcohol is metabolized differently than other foods and beverages. Under normal conditions, your body gets its energy from the calories in carbohydrates, fats and proteins, which are slowly digested and absorbed within the gastrointestinal system. However, this digestive process changes when alcohol is present. When you drink alcohol, it gets immediate attention (because it is viewed by the body as a toxin) and needs no digestion.

On an empty stomach, the alcohol molecules diffuse through the stomach wall quickly and can reach the brain and liver in minutes. This process is slower when you have food in your stomach, but as soon as that food enters the small intestine, the alcohol grabs first priority and is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream.

As the alcohol reaches the liver for processing, the liver places all of its attention on the alcohol. If you drink very slowly, all the alcohol is collected by the liver and processed immediately—avoiding all other body systems. If you drink more quickly, the liver cannot keep up with the processing needs and the alcohol continues to circulate in the body until the liver is available to process it. That's why drinking large amounts of alcohol (or drinking alcohol quickly) affect the brain centers involved with speech, vision, reasoning and judgment.

When the body is focused on processing alcohol, it is not able to properly break down foods containing carbohydrates and fat. Therefore, these calories are converted into body fat and are carried away for permanent storage on your body.

Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning that it causes water loss and dehydration. Along with this water loss you lose important minerals, such as magnesium, potassium, calcium and zinc. These minerals are vital to the maintenance of fluid balance, chemical reactions, and muscle contraction and relaxation.

Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram and offers NO nutritional value. It only adds empty calories to your diet. Why not spend your calorie budget on something healthier?

Alcohol affects your body in other negative ways. Drinking may help induce sleep, but the sleep you get isn't very deep. As a result, you get less rest, which can trigger you to eat more calories the next day. Alcohol can also increase the amount of acid that your stomach produces, causing your stomach lining to become inflamed. Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to serious health problems, including stomach ulcers, liver disease, and heart troubles.

Alcohol lowers your inhibitions, which is detrimental to your diet plans. Alcohol actually stimulates your appetite. While you might be full from a comparable amount of calories from food, several drinks might not fill you up. On top of that, research shows that if you drink before or during a meal, both your inhibitions and willpower are reduced. In this state, you are more likely to overeat—especially greasy or fried foods—which can add to your waistline. To avoid this, wait to order that drink until you're done with your meal.

Many foods that accompany drinking (peanuts, pretzels, chips) are salty, which can make you thirsty, encouraging you to drink even more. To avoid over drinking, sip on a glass of water in between each alcoholic beverage.

Skipping a meal to save your calories for drinks later is a bad idea. Many drinkers know they'll be having some alcohol later, whether going to a bar, party, or just kicking back at home. Knowing that drinking entails extra calories, it may be tempting to "bank" some calories by skipping a meal or two. This is a bad move. If you come to the bar hungry, you are even more likely to munch on the snacks, and drinking on an empty stomach enhances the negative effects of alcohol. If you're planning on drinking later, eat a healthy meal first. You'll feel fuller, which will stop you from overdrinking. If you are worried about a looming night out with friends, include an extra 30 minutes of exercise to balance your calories—instead of skipping a meal.

What are more important, calories or carbs? You might think that drinking liquor is more diet-friendly because it has no carbohydrates, while both wine and beer do contain carbs. But dieters need to watch calories, and liquor only has a few calories less than beer or wine. Plus, it is often mixed with other drinks, adding even more empty calories. Hard liquor contains around 100 calories per shot, so adding a mixer increases calories even more. If you are going to mix liquor with anything, opt for a diet or club soda, instead of fruit juice or regular soda. Sweeter drinks, whether liquor or wine, tend to have more sugar, and therefore more calories. In that respect, dry wines usually have fewer calories than sweet wines.

The list below breaks down the number of calories in typical alcoholic drinks. Compare some of your favorites to make a good choice next time you decide to indulge in a serving of alcohol.

Drink	Serving Size	Calories
Red wine	5 oz.	100
White wine	5 oz.	100
Champagne	5 oz.	130
Light beer	12 oz.	105
Regular beer	12 oz.	140
Dark beer	12 oz.	170
Cosmopolitan	3 oz.	165
Martini	3 oz.	205
Long Island iced tea	8 oz.	400
Gin & Tonic	8 oz.	175
Rum & Soda	8 oz.	180
Margarita	8 oz.	200
Whiskey Sour	4 oz.	200

Alcohol can easily be the enemy when it comes to weight loss. It adds extra calories to your diet, encourages you to eat more food, and alters the normal digestive process. Not only are the extra calories a hindrance, but the changes in food breakdown sends turns those extra calories into unwanted body fat. Alcohol does have a bad reputation when it comes to weight loss, and rightfully so, so be smart about your alcohol choices if you're watching your weight.

What's the Definition of "Moderate" Alcohol Consumption?

A moderate alcohol intake is defined as up to 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men. One drink contains 0.6 fluid ounces of alcohol and is defined as:

•           12 fl. oz. of regular beer (5% alcohol)

•           4-5 fl. oz. of wine (12% alcohol)

•           1.5 fl. oz. of 80-proof distilled spirits (40% alcohol)

•           1 fl. oz. of 100-proof distilled spirits (50%

RETHINKING THE RULES OF WEIGHT LOSS

RETHINKING THE RULES OF WEIGHT LOSS

EXPERIENCE LIFE STAFF · JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

Forget what you’ve been told. Forget what you think you know. Forget the old rules — and you might just start making some headway.

Feeling confused by all the weight-loss advice out there? No wonder. Diet trends, infomercials for exercise gadgets, ads for pills, and even the latest medical breakthroughs all promise to help you shed unwanted pounds — and they often contradict each other.

With so much weight-loss “wisdom” to wade through, many people simply throw up their hands and decide they might as well just eat whatever’s in front of them.

No surprise, then, that we just keep getting fatter: Today, nearly 69 percent of American adults are either overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And the heavier our nation becomes, the greater our collective risk for many deadly diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and breast, colon, and prostate cancers — to name just a few.

That’s the bad news.

The good news is that we’re not powerless. We needn't let our confusion concerning nutrition and fitness prevails over our common sense and our desire to live healthy, happy lives.

We do, however, need to rethink what we think we know about dropping pounds and keeping them off.

For starters, we can forget about finding instant fixes and miracle cures for what are essentially pathological lifestyle habits. “We must stop falling for the myths that keep us fat and perpetuate an endless cycle of weight loss and gain,” says Mark Hyman, MD, best-selling author of The Blood Sugar Solution and other books, and medical director of the Center for Functional Medicine at Cleveland Clinic.

We all might like the idea of a magic bullet, yet most experts agree with Hyman that healthy, sustainable weight loss doesn’t come from extreme measures or single-faceted diets. Nor does it come from relying on low-fat or low-carb foods and “diet” drinks — which, in fact, have been shown to hinder weight-loss efforts by messing up metabolism, contributing to cravings, and undermining energy levels.

If you really want to lose weight and keep it off — or if you just want to maintain your current weight and stay healthy for the long haul — start by putting aside fixations with your clothes size and appearance.

Instead, focus on the space between your ears: Weight-loss misconceptions not only pose an immediate danger to your success, they can also undermine your metabolism for the long haul.

To help you sort through the tangle of mixed messages to discover what’s wise, what’s helpful, and what’s not, we've identified some of the most common weight-loss myths, and gathered up the best, most up-to-date advice for moving beyond them.

Simply putting your focus on eating fewer calories than you burn is a losing strategy, because this oversimplified numerical approach treats all calories as equal — which they are not, says David Ludwig, MD, PhD, a Harvard Medical School professor and internationally respected obesity researcher. It’s not so much the quantity of calories we eat that drives weight gain and loss, he asserts, but rather the nature and quality of those calories.

Why? Because our bodies require a consistent balance of healthy macro-nutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrates), as well as micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals), plus adequate phytonutrients, enzymes, fiber, water, and so on in order to function optimally.

When we are missing these elements, our energy levels drop, our hormones and neurotransmitters get imbalanced, and our metabolism stops working efficiently. Our vitality suffers, and our bodies don’t regulate much of anything (including our weight and body composition) as they are designed to.

The health of our metabolism — the machinery that dictates how we burn fat and produce muscle — requires whole, “real” foods and the complex, synergistic blend of nutrients they contain in order to function properly.

This is why replacing whole foods with “diet” fare (or foods selected exclusively on the basis of their low-calorie, low-carb, high-protein, or low-fat characteristics) generally works against long-term weight loss.

A diverse, whole-foods diet will also naturally offer a relatively low glycemic load (GL) and a high phytonutrient index (PI).

A low-GL meal slows the rate at which carbs turn to sugar in the bloodstream. And this slow burn allows your body to digest sugars, says Hyman, “without triggering the metabolic signals that promote hunger and weight gain.”

Phytonutrients, meanwhile, are powerful healing agents and metabolic regulators necessary to the body. (For more on phytonutrients, see “Full-Spectrum Eating”.) To make the most of the calories you ingest, emphasize foods with a low GL and high PI, including vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, olive oil, whole-kernel grains, teas, herbs, and spices. Say no to diet plans that emphasize caloric quantity over nutrient quality. 

While calorie-restricted diets can and do trigger temporary weight loss, they also tend to have some unfortunate long-term consequences. Among the most maddening: They can put the body into a hunger-creating “fat-conservation” mode.

When you take in fewer calories than are necessary to fuel your resting metabolic rate (the base amount of caloric energy your body requires at rest), your body simply compensates by reducing your metabolic rate.

Goodbye, caloric burn. Hello, weight rebound.

“Your body thinks it’s starving to death,” explains Hyman. As a result, it not only cuts back on the energy you need to be active and alert, it also “sets off chemical processes inside you that trigger cravings and compel you to eat more.”

The net result is a lack of appetite regulation, a reduction in physical activity, and an increase in fat storage.

You can get a rough estimate of your resting metabolic rate, says Hyman, by multiplying your weight in pounds by 10: If you weigh 150 pounds, for example, your resting metabolic rate would be approximately 1,500 calories per day.

“If you eat less than that amount, your body will instantly perceive danger and turn on the alarm system that protects you from starvation and slows your metabolism,” says Hyman.

The deprivation diet — characterized by “just-until-I-lose-this-weight” thinking — is another enemy of weight loss. It causes us to alternate between extremes of “on diet” and “off diet” behavior.

“Eventually you’re going to stop consuming less, and when you stop, you will gain back more fat than you lost,” says Jonathan Bailor, author of the New York Times bestseller  The Calorie Myth. “Because when you go back to eating your previous diet, you will be putting that high-calorie, low-quality food into a destroyed metabolic system.”

Overall, these experts agree, dieting sets us up to have an unhealthy relationship with food that can turn weight management into a miserable, lifelong struggle.

A better approach is to decide to eat healthy for life. Enjoy delicious, whole, high-quality foods in ways that nurture your body for the long haul.

Diet “doctorates” have been pointing out the evils of fat for so long that many of us can’t indulge in anything beyond low-fat yogurt without guilt. But avoiding fat is a huge mistake, says journalist Nina Teicholz, author of The Big Fat Surprise. In fact, taking in an adequate supply of healthy fats is essential to proper body composition, whole-body health, and long-term weight management.

The key is understanding the differences between bad fats (notably the trans fats and unstable or rancid fats often found in processed foods) and good fats (namely those found in fresh, whole foods like nuts, seeds, fish, and wild or pasture-fed meats).

Biochemist and nutritionist Mary Enig, PhD, and nutrition researcher Sally Fallon, authors of Eat Fat, Lose Fat, specifically advise eating small to moderate amounts of saturated fat, the kind found in real butter, cream, grassfed meats, and virgin coconut oil.

Your body needs not only omega-3 fats, they say, but also some plant-based omega-6s and a certain amount of the much-maligned saturated fat in order to nourish your brain, heart, nerves, hormones, and cell structures.

Fail to get these fats, assert Enig and Fallon, and both your health and weight-loss efforts will suffer for it: “Your energy drops, your nerves don’t fire efficiently, glands malfunction, and your hormones and metabolism head south,” they explain. “With cells weakened from lack of necessary nutrition, weight loss is an uphill battle.”

Eating a moderate amount of the good fats found in whole foods not only helps our bodies stay healthy and vibrant, it also delivers the benefit of controlling blood-sugar levels and appetite, both of which have a direct impact on successful weight loss and maintenance.

Most nutrition experts suggest getting between 20 and 35 percent of your daily calories from fat, and many now advocate for more. Be vigilant about including fat in the form of nutritious whole foods (think avocados, nuts, fish), healthy oils (cold-pressed olive, seed, nut), and some appetite-satisfying saturated-fat indulgences (real butter and cream, grassfed meats, coconut).

Yes, exercise burns calories, and burning calories can help you lose weight. But exercising for improved fitness has many weight-loss benefits that go beyond per-session caloric burn. Understanding this can make a huge difference in how you approach your workout routine.

Being fit gives you a distinct metabolic advantage at a cellular level. Fit people have a greater number of mitochondria — the energy factories within our cells. Mitochondria handle the aerobic oxidation of fatty acids (fat burning!) that occurs even when we’re at rest. Thus, increasing the number of mitochondria through exercise helps raise our metabolism so we burn more calories — not only with every workout session, but also when we’re not exercising at all.

Performed at the proper intensities and intervals, both strength and cardio training can help build lean muscle mass, increase mitochondrial function, and, in turn, increase metabolic rate.

Fitness-focused exercise also improves your strength and endurance, which makes activities of all kinds easier, and thus encourages you to be more active overall. And, since regular exercise also improves your energy level, confidence, emotional outlook, and self-esteem, it can help you get through weight-loss plateaus, when you’re not seeing the inches melt off as quickly as you’d like.

Weight loss starts with the brain, not the belly,” says psychotherapist Doris Wild Helmering, MSW, coauthor of Think Thin, Be Thin. For many people, achieving a healthy weight is possible only once certain mental and emotional issues have been addressed. Why? Because many of us overeat or avoid exercise for reasons we don’t entirely understand — or that we feel powerless to control.

Maybe we make poor choices when we’re stressed out, sad, ashamed, or angry. Maybe we make unconscious choices when we’re tired, distracted, or numbed out. Whatever the reason, says Helmering, the excess weight we carry on the outside is sometimes the symptom of an unresolved problem on the inside.

In such cases, the first step is to turn inward and ask some questions. “‘What am I really hungry for?’ Perhaps you need a hug or a word of encouragement from a friend instead of that piece of leftover chocolate pie in the refrigerator,” she says. Perhaps you need to bust out of a stressful job, destructive relationship, or self-abusive attitude to make your health and well-being a priority.

Ultimately, for your weight-loss efforts to be successful and sustainable, both your body and your mind have to be on board.

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