6 Weight Loss Tips To Completely Ignore

When it comes to shedding those extra pounds, the internet is flooded with a plethora of weight loss tips. Some weight loss advice is sound and backed by science, while other tips can be misleading or downright harmful.

And as a dietitian, I’ve seen many people struggle with their weight loss journeys simply because they followed poor advice. So to help you navigate the maze of misinformation, I’ve compiled a list of six common weight loss tips that you should completely ignore.

This post is all about the weight loss tips you should completely ignore.

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**Now, in some cases, I may advise clients to eat even if they’re not hungry, especially if they struggle with binge eating, disordered eating, or have specific hormonal issues. But generally, you don’t need to force yourself to eat if you're not hungry. Your metabolism won’t shut down if you don’t eat within the first 10 minutes of waking up.**

Similarly, you might hear advice to eat every two hours to keep your metabolism running optimally. This isn’t necessary either. A well-balanced meal can keep you satisfied for 3 to 4 hours. You don’t need to force yourself to snack if you're not hungry between meals.

That said, there's nothing wrong with snacking if you are hungry. Snacking can be beneficial for some people—it’s highly individual. For instance, I often need a mid-morning snack but not always a mid-afternoon one. Hunger levels vary daily, influenced by factors like sleep quality, exercise, and hormonal changes. Honour your hunger when it arises.

2. Promises of Specific Weight Loss in a Certain Time Frame

Do you have a crystal ball that can accurately predict the future? Neither do I nor anyone offering diet advice on the internet.

When you join a diet program or hear claims that you'll lose a specific amount of weight—or any weight at all—in a certain time frame, take that promise with a grain of salt.

Why?

We're all different in terms of genetics, life circumstances, activity levels, and preferences. These variables make it impossible to accurately predict how much weight you'll lose from an intervention, even if others (or even you) have previously lost weight from that same method.

So, ignore these "lose 5 lbs, lose 10 lbs" plans and instead focus on how healthy and complete an eating plan is. Equally important is how the plan makes you feel. Is it restrictive? Is it sustainable? If it promises quick weight loss or seems too good to be true, that's a big red flag.

I encourage all my clients to adopt the mindset that time is on their side regarding weight loss.

3. Rigid Meal Plans

When I meet someone and tell them I’m a dietitian, do you know what the first question I’m often asked is?

“Can you give me a meal plan?”

Meal plans have their place, but have you ever heard the expression, "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for life"? It's similar with meal plans.

While it’s important to be organized if you want to change your lifestyle and make healthier eating choices, strict meal plans often fall short. Many of these plans are unsustainable, and following a rigid regimen can lead to burnout and not teach you anything in the long run.

What happens when you reach the end of the meal plan? You often get stuck, unsure of what to do next and revert to old habits.

Another issue is that strict meal plans don’t cater to a social life. What happens if you have a birthday dinner to attend? Do you skip it, or do you eat something off-plan and feel like you’ve failed? Such rigidity is neither flexible nor enjoyable, and it neglects the fact that food plays a significant role in our cultural identity and social well-being.

When I work with clients, I provide a meal plan if they need or want structured guidance. However, I aim for my clients to reach a point where they no longer need me to plan their meals. They should be able to create their own meal plans, understand how to build a balanced meal and read food labels. I might be the worst businessperson ever, but I haven't done my job well if a client needs to return for new meal plans constantly.

4. Fat-Burning Supplements

If you’ve been struggling with losing weight, you might have considered taking a pill advertised as a fat burner.

Many of these supplements contain compounds that claim to increase metabolic rate or the number of calories burned daily.

However, I’m here to tell you that these supplements don’t work, and I don't recommend taking them.

Let me give you some context. In theory, some research suggests that some of these compounds might have a very tiny effect. For example, one study with 25 participants looked at the effects of red pepper (capsaicin) on metabolic rate. Four hours later, those who had consumed chilli burned about 10 extra calories. Over a year, that could theoretically amount to a weight loss of about 1 pound. However, the study also found that people become desensitized to the effect of chilli on metabolic rate after a few weeks. Therefore, it likely has no effect at all!

And let's not forget that supplements can be expensive and potentially very dangerous, especially in the fat-burning category. The minimal benefit of burning an extra 10 calories a day for 2-3 weeks is simply not worth the risk.

5. Focusing Solely on Cardio

Exercise is fantastic, and I am a huge advocate for it. However, focusing only on cardio workouts—going all out with running, biking, rowing etc, might not be the best exercise strategy for losing weight, especially if you don't enjoy it.

If you enjoy cardio and it energizes you, that’s great. But ideally, we want a mix of both cardio and resistance training.

Let me explain why this balance is important. The body burns calories in four main ways:

1. Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): This is the energy your body uses to stay alive—keeping your heart beating, your lungs working, etc. BMR accounts for 60-70% of the calories you burn daily, making it by far the biggest calorie burner.
2. Next up is NEAT, otherwise known as Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT). This includes all the other activities you do during the day that aren't formal workouts, like fidgeting, walking to your car, or taking the stairs. It's the second biggest daily calorie burner, accounting for around 15% of the calories you burn daily. The more you move throughout the day, the more energy you expend.
3. Third on the list is the Thermic Effect of Food. This is the energy your body uses to digest food, coming in at around 10% of the calories you burn daily.
4. Last and to many people's surprise, we have exercise, accounting for roughly 5% of the calories burned daily. If you think about it, one hour is only 4% of your day. What are you doing during the other 23 hours?

Looking at these numbers, if you want to target the most impactful area, it would be BMR. The good news is that we can increase our BMR by building and supporting muscle, as muscle tissue burns more energy at rest. And this is why incorporating resistance training to build muscle is a good idea rather than solely focusing on cardio alone.

Cardio is great for your heart, so don't give it up, but aim for a balance of both cardio and resistance training.

Additionally, pay attention to NEAT. When people start dieting, they subconsciously reduce their daily activity levels—they fidget less, get up less often, and move around less. These small activities add up.

6. Cutting Out Carbohydrates

Now, if someone told you there was a food with zero calories that you could eat without gaining weight, would you cut it out of your diet? Probably not.

Yet, so many people demonize carbohydrates and try to eliminate them entirely, which is a major misconception.

Both sugar and fibre are carbohydrates, but they are digested differently. Cutting out carbs can be problematic because fibre, a crucial tool for weight loss, is only found in carbs.

Fiber is the zero-calorie, non-digestible part of a carbohydrate that adds bulk to food. When consumed, fibre swells in the stomach, helping you feel full. A diet rich in fibre can lead to eating less throughout the day, thereby aiding weight loss.

Moreover, carbohydrates are the body's preferred source of energy. The issue usually isn't with carbs themselves. From my experience, bread and pasta for example often get a bad reputation. However, usually it isn’t the bread or pasta themselves that is the issue. It's often what you put on them—like a generous spread of butter on your bread or a rich, creamy pasta sauce—or the portion size.

While refined carbohydrates like sugary cakes, ice cream, and sweets aren’t great for weight loss, it’s all about context. The dose makes the poison. A little bit of these foods in moderation is okay and can actually help you stick to your lifestyle changes in the long term.

Conclusion

In the quest to lose weight effectively, it's crucial to sort fact from fiction. Many common beliefs, like skipping breakfast or avoiding carbs entirely, aren't necessarily helpful. Instead, focus on listening to your body's hunger signals, eating balanced meals with proteins and veggies, and combining cardio with strength training. Remember, there's no one-size-fits-all approach to weight loss. Find what works best for you and prioritize overall health and well-being.