The sheer amount of dos and don'ts when it comes to weight loss is mind-boggling. How can you keep it all straight? When to eat, when NOT to eat, cut out certain food groups, eat low-fat, eat more fats...no wonder it's so hard to stick with a healthy eating plan. Magazines aren't helpful - each promises weight loss with new rules and claims.
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Debunk the most common myths now. Many of us could benefit from eating less fat, but what about eating little to no fat? Not a good idea - many "junk" foods are fat-free or have less fat than their predecessors, but they're still the same sugary, empty-calorie junk they've always been. Try replacing harmful fats with smaller amounts of healthful fats, like those found in olive oil and fatty fish.
Mindless evening snacking, like that done in front of the TV, is definitely detrimental to your diet. But that old adage about eating after a certain time - 7 p.m., for example - simply isn't accurate. The theory is rooted in the fact that it is a good idea to stop eating a couple hours before bedtime, simply because sleeping on a full stomach isn't a good idea.{relatedarticles}It may lead to gas, indigestion or simply a bad night's sleep, but it won't necessarily cause you to gain weight. Calories are metabolized in the same way, regardless of when you eat them. Consuming excessive calories, no matter at what hour you eat them, will do that.