6 Diet Myths You Should Stop Believing Right Now

Supermodel Kate Moss once said, “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” Meanwhile, Glenn Powell recently refused to eat bread. Oof. The internet thrives on our obsession with skinny. Spend five minutes on social media, and you’re beset by dudes so deprived of nutrients that they may be about to keel over. And yet still we fetishize their abs.

It all begs the question: Is there a healthy way to shed pounds quickly? A lot of diets have claimed so. Remember the 5:2 diet? Juice cleanses? The carnivore diet? Popularized by social media, each one promises to help you feel good on a beach — and in rapid time. But safety concerns aside, does any of it actually work?

“Some hacks might have a grain of truth, but most are overhyped or unsustainable,” says Uta Boellinger, BANT Registered Nutritionist. “Many can be dangerous, particularly when they promote rapid weight loss or extreme restriction.”

While shiny new tips and high tech devices may be tempting, they often overlook the consistent, considered work needed to lose weight and keep it off.

“Weight loss needs to be approached comprehensively,” adds Dr. Indhira Ghyssaert, general practitioner at The Balance luxury rehab. “It involves nutrition, physical activity, stress regulation and often a deeper look at hormonal balance, gut health and sleep.”

Below, we name the top six “diet hacks” to delete from your brain and offer expert advice on what to do instead. Let’s dig in.

Myth #1: Restricted eating hacks the body.

Proponents of fasting argue that when your body has no food to use as fuel, it breaks down fat stores instead, fast-tracking your weight loss. Which sort of sounds like it makes sense, right?

Harry Cox, founder of London’s Club Q Health, says “Meh,” adding that weight loss is less about when you eat and more about your overall calorie consumption. The science backs him: a systematic review of 10 randomized trials agreed that fasting was not superior to being in an ordinary calorie deficit when it came to long term weight loss.

What to do instead: “Fasting can be an effective strategy for weight loss, but only because it reduces the number of calories you consume, not because of any fat burning magic,” says Cox. Instead of only eating at certain times, make sure you’re in a calorie deficit throughout the day for more sustainable, longer-lasting loss.

Myth #2: All you need is Ozempic.

Beloved by celebrities, this easily-available drug is responsible for the rapid weight loss and gaunt cheeks cropping up across your social media. “This makes me so cross as a nutritionist,” says Boellinger. “I’m strongly against these as a general weight-loss strategy, unless it’s for medical reasons.”

Boellinger says that the side effects (nausea, digestive issues and muscle loss) can be significant. “More concerning, many people regain weight after stopping the drug because they haven’t learned sustainable habits, and the loss of muscle mass makes it even easier to put on body fat,” she adds.

What to do instead: Without real diet and lifestyle changes, weight typically returns post-Ozempic. “People are always looking for a quick fix instead of actually putting in the work. I can’t endorse it,” says Boellinger.

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Myth #3: Lemon water flushes toxins.

Is lemon water the modern-day snake oil? There is some evidence to suggest that, due to its acidity, drinking lemon juice before a meal may reduce the blood sugar spike we experience after eating — but blood sugar spikes aren’t directly tied to weight loss.

“There is a world in which drinking lemon water could help you lose weight,” says Cox. “If you’re regularly consuming sugary drinks and replacing them with lemon water, you could be satisfying that sweet tooth whilst significantly reducing the calories.”

What to do instead: Drinking more water is associated with positive weight loss outcomes, but not because it has a slice of lemon in it; staying hydrated makes you feel fuller and less likely to snack.

Myth #4: High-protein diets make for hard bodies.

Every product these days seems to be packed with protein — but more isn’t always better. It is true that protein helps reduce cravings and helps keep you satisfied. “Eating enough protein helps regulate your appetite by increasing hormones that tell your brain you’re full, as well as lowering the hunger hormone ghrelin,” confirms Ghyssaert.

But that doesn’t mean you need to shoehorn extra protein into everything you eat. Most people already get enough from a balanced diet, and piling on more won’t magically build a Marvel-movie physique.

What to do instead: The recommended amount of protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight; for a well-rounded diet, Ghyssaert says: “Fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, a quarter with whole grains, and the last quarter with a healthy protein source.” Use this as a starting point, then adjust based on your activity level, fitness goals and how your body feels.

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Myth #5: Vibrating corsets sculpt abs.

Whether it’s a vibrating plate you stand on, or a girdle-like contraption worn around the middle, this gear supposedly works by using “electrical muscle stimulation” (EMS) to send a small electrical impulse into the muscle to stimulate contractions. It’s been proven to prevent muscle wastage in stroke victims, but can it translate into a well-defined, beach-ready midriff?

“A study on 40 subjects concluded that EMS was not more efficient than conventional strength training,” says Cox. And, just on a sartorial level, can you imagine asking for one of these for Christmas?

What to do instead: Ditch the tech and focus on reducing your calories while exercising your entire body. It’s impossible to lose weight from your abs alone, but you can do core exercises like planks, Russian twists and dead bugs to build up the muscles ahead of your big unveiling.

Myth #6: “Fibermaxxing” boosts digestion, trims your waistline.

Fibermaxxing has one of those catchy social media names, so it must work, right? “It’s essentially the idea of intentionally boosting fiber intake through fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes to supercharge gut health and help with weight or digestion,” Boellinger explains.

With gut cancer rates increasing, surely extra fiber is a win? Boellinger isn’t against it. “The concept has more legitimacy than many diet fads because fiber is well supported by nutritional science: it helps maintain bowel regularity, supports microbial diversity in the gut and slows digestion (especially soluble fiber), which can help with satiety and blood sugar control. I almost always recommend increasing fiber to clients in clinic,” she says.

What to do instead: Boellinger reckons maxing your fiber is a win, but one with a caveat. “Going big or extreme can backfire,” she says, the issues being that ramping things up too quickly can lead to bloating, cramps and GI distress. “If you aren’t used to eating lots of fiber, you likely won’t have enough of the microbes that help to break it down,” Boellinger says, meaning all of that fiber consumption will be for nought. So start slow, giving your gut bacteria time to adapt, while downing plenty of water to ease digestion in the short term.