Myths and Weight Loss

Myths are a part of every society and culture. They help explain common

experiences that are mysterious, frightening, or difficult to understand.

Ancient civilizations used myths to explain aspects of the world

that they could not comprehend. Joseph Campbell, author of the book

The Power of Myth, explains that we need myths to survive and to

explain and understand our existence.

Myths are powerful. They can inspire us to great heights. But they

can also become traps when they mask the full truth. If you go beyond

the kernel of truth that forms the basis of the myth and believe that

every aspect of the myth is true, you can become paralyzed into inaction

because the myth seemingly explains everything.

Many popular weight-loss methods can be attractive and persuasive.

Who hasn’t tried at least a few of the latest and greatest weightloss

plans? These methods are appealing because they are based on a

believable myth, a convincing scientific explanation, and a fantastic

promise: the pitch is that if you buy into the myth, you will lose weight

quickly.

Perhaps you believed the myth that simply by cutting back on fat

you could lose weight permanently. Maybe you believed the myth that

cutting out most carbohydrates would magically melt away your extra

fat and pounds. Perhaps you subscribed to the common myth that if

you simply began exercising more, your weight would come off.

wish we could tell you that these myths were true. While each has

some kernels of truth, they’re missing quite a bit as well. That’s the

point of this book; we’ll fill you in on the whole story.

Myths have the power to keep you riding the weight-loss roller

coaster or prevent you from trying again. That is why it is so important

to pull out the kernel of truth and discard the rest. Until you separate

the truth from the myth, you won’t achieve your goal of sustainable

weight loss.

Stop in your local bookstore, browse online, or watch one of television’s

morning shows and you will quickly see that weight-loss myths

are abundant. One popular myth states that carrying a few extra

pounds around doesn’t really have an impact on your health.The myth

has a kernel of truth: carrying around a few extra pounds is not as risky

as carrying around a lot of extra pounds. But the whole truth is that

even gaining small amounts of weight as the years go by carries a

health risk.

Today, an even more widespread but fading myth is that a

low-carbohydrate diet magically melts away pounds and is the

answer to weight loss. Once again, there is an element of truth to this

myth. Many people eat overly large portions of carbohydrates like

pasta and bread, as well as too many foods with added sugars and

highly processed flour. This type of eating can contribute to weight

gain in very significant ways. Furthermore, carbohydrate foods supply

a majority of our calories. So cutting back on empty calories from

added sugar and highly processed flour can help you lose weight as

long as you don’t fill your diet with low-carbohydrate, calorie-rich

foods.

Or what about the common myth that all you need to do is go to

the gym and work out to lose weight? There is a kernel of truth to the

relationship between regular exercise and weight loss. But individuals

who think that they can lose weight simply by increasing their exercise

program and not controlling their food intake are almost always

embarking on a futile journey.

We all have myths. Some are wonderful because they inspire us.

Some get in the way of our progress. Myths can be busted through

knowledge. The road to sustainable weight loss begins when you get

rid of the weight-loss myths standing in your way and learn how to

make the science of weight loss work for you.

This book is about weight-loss truths. Our goal is to tell you the

whole truth about how you can lose weight for good. In doing so, we

can help you base your weight-loss efforts on solid principles that

work and that are based on years of experience and hundreds of scientific

studies, many of which were performed at the Rippe Lifestyle

Institute (RLI) or with people following the Weight Watchers program.

Together, we’ve had the opportunity to learn from countless people

about what works when it comes to sustainable weight loss.We know

that with the right methoand, long-term weight loss is possible.

By  James M. Rippe, M. Dand   Weight Watchersd.