I recently read an article by David Gilks and it really snapped me out of some misconstrued ideas or myths people may have about losing weight… especially in summer with the impending doom of swimsuit season.

I’ve summarized his weight loss myth-busters in the list below:

Myth – Starve the pounds away
This is ineffective and dangerous. It actually disrupts your metabolism and slows results.
Tip: Don’t starve yourself – instead eat healthy small meals throughout the day.

Myth – Take diet pills to boost your effort
It’s advertized as the “easy & effortless” solution but in reality diet pills are more likely to damage your health and waste your money.
Tip: Don’t pop a pill – try becoming more active day by day.

Myth – Do extra crunches to flatten your abdominals
We all want nice abs but you have to lose your overall body fat before going crazy with crunches.
Tip: focus on fat burning cardio exercise.

Myth – Eat packaged diet foods for speedy results
Just because a food advertises itself as a ‘diet’ or ‘weight loss’ aid doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Usually they are full of refined sugars and artificial flavours that aren’t good for you.
Tip: Don’t eat packaged diet foods – instead stick with nutritious whole foods.

Myth – Avoid all carbohydrates in order to slim down
Carbohydrates are not evil! The key is to stick with whole grains, oatmeal and brown rice while avoiding processed and refined carbs.
Tip: Don’t swear off all carbohydrates – instead stick with wholesome carbs.

Here are 3 easy steps to get started on the right track:

Step 1: Cut out the junk
Purge your kitchen and get rid of sugary, processed and fat-filled foods. Replace these items with healthy, fresh and nutritious options.

Step 2: Focus on whole foods
Start eating more cooked and raw vegetables, fresh fruits, whole/ancient grains, lean meats and low-fat dairy.

Step 3: Exercise
Any activity done on a regular basis will help speed up the process. Start small and work your way up to more challenging exercises. For most of us this will be the toughest one to tackle and this is where your determination has to kick in!

You can read the full article here