Diet Myths

By Angie Best-Boss, Contributing Writer

Diet myths abound. According to Juliet Zuercher, registered dietitian and director of nutrition services at Remuda Programs for Eating Disorders, failure to understand common diet myths can “be demoralizing and psychologically damaging, which can lead into a full blown eating disorder."

Popular myths about dieting include:

• Diet Myth #1 -- Dieting will result in weight loss and thus improve health. Ninety-five percent of diets fail. A continued focus on weight loss as a means to health will in all likelihood only result in poorer health.
• Diet Myth #2 -- If I don't have rules around eating, I will be out of control. Part of normal eating involves trusting the body's natural hunger and fullness cues.
• Diet Myth #3 -- Anyone can weigh what he or she wants as long as they diet and exercise hard enough. Contrary to popular belief, one of the strongest determinates of healthy body weight is our genetic code.
• Diet Myth #4 -- Dieting means I have strong will power and I'm morally good. When food is kept in its proper place in life, with no inherent moral value, intuitive eating is a natural result.
• Diet Myth #5 -- Everyone diets, it's just the way it is. Just because many people are stuck in the cycle of dangerous dieting, doesn't mean it's the best way or that you have to follow.

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