It’s been a while since you jumped into the health and fitness bandwagon but your weight doesn’t seem to budge. Chances are you’ve been buying into common weight loss myths and misconceptions. The following are the five worst, yet commonly believed myths about fat loss and the truth behind them.

1. All calories are equal.

Calories are a measure of energy and all calories have the same amount of energy.

Calories in, calories out. you’ve Heard this before. There’s plenty of misinformation on the internet and we can’t stress enough on the fact that just because all calories are the same, they do not have the same impact on your weight and body.

Food passes through a diverse range of metabolic pathways. Therefore, one food’s effect on your hunger and hormones can be significantly different from another.

For example, one calorie from a high quality protein is not the same as a fat or carb calorie from a hamburger.

Replacing processed food, simple carbs and trans fat with lean protein, high fiber-sources, good fats and complex carbs can suppress your cravings and appetite, boost your metabolism and optimize your weight-regulating hormones, thereby allowing you to reach your goal weight much faster.

It’s also important to understand that a handful of berries are much more filling than a few pieces of candy, even if they have the same number of calories each.

2. Supplements can aid in fat loss

The weight loss industry makes millions of dollars selling this common myth.

There’s a plethora of supplements out their claiming to produce dramatic results, however, most of them are either not effective or well-studied.

Some people may notice changes in their weight after taking a weight loss supplement, but this could be because of the placebo effect. Since people are spending money on supplements and they want them to work, they want to make an effort to lose weight. This makes them more conscious of their food choices.

Having said that, there are a few supplements which may have a decent impact on weight loss but they take several months to have a noteworthy effect. If you are looking to purchase a supplement, do your research and see if the product is backed by studies.

3. If you want to lose weight, you have to eat less and move more.

Simply put, your body fat is stored energy, or calories.

If you want to lose fat, your body should be expelling more fat cells than what is coming in. In other words, if you expend more calories than you consume overall, you will see changes in your weight.

This may make the mindset of “eating less and moving more” seem logical, but that’s not true.

In most instances, people who follow this advice end up gaining their weight back because following a diet and fitness plan that allows this is just not sustainable in the long-term.

Telling someone who is battling weight issues to just “eat less and move more” is like telling a person suffering from alcoholism to just drink less. It just doesn’t work this way.

The solution: Change your mindset. You don’t have to eat less to lose weight. In fact, you can eat more if you include high protein and high fiber sources into your diet as they’re often more satiating than processed food. In addition, creating a workout plan that you enjoy will reap more benefits than just spending hours on the treadmill. Studies show that fast-paced, short workouts such as HIIT, are better for your weight loss and metabolism than spending hours on the treadmill. It’s all about working smart.

4. Fat makes you fat.

Since body fat is stored fat and you’re trying to reduce it, cutting out fat completely seems to make sense.

However, it’s not that simple. Eating calorie-dense processed foods add fat, not clean foods that contain a reasonable amount of good fats.

Consuming too much sugar and simple carbs, such as from donuts, cookies and white bread can make you fat too. So it’s not just fat that’s the bad guy.

There are numerous studies that show that diets high in fat and low in carbs can aid in weight loss. As with a myriad of things with health and nutrition, it’s highly dependent on the context.

At the end of the day, eating a lot of fat from high carb, high trans fat, high salt, high sugar, processed food will make you fat. But it’s just not the fat that’s the only culprit in this scenario.

5. If it tastes good, it’s probably bad for you

We aren’t really sure who came up with this, but a surprisingly large number of people seem to believe this myth.

We get it, kale and broccoli aren’t the greatest tasting health foods but chances are that you haven’t prepared them enough to enhance their flavor.

Processed foods contain added sugars, artificial sweeteners, synthetic fats and flavorings to take over your taste buds.

However, as you eat more natural foods and eliminate processed ones, your taste buds become acclimatized to the subtle sweetness and complex flavors — in berries, for example.

As you add more herbs and veggies to your dishes, you’ll begin to notice how rosemary, garlic, onions and peppers can work in harmony with your meal to boost its flavor. Try adding an array of spices and herbs to your cooking arsenal and experiment with different cuisines to create a healthy dish, that’s satisfying for you at the same time.

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