Dr Oz: Are Reduced Fat Foods Healthy & Diet Soda Weight Loss Results

Dr Oz: Diet Myths

Do you know your health facts from fiction? With so many rumors and half truths flying around online and even among friends (who heard it from a cousin), it’s no wonder there are so many diet myths out there. Dr Oz decided to set the record straight about some health myths you might even believe. Can Diet Soda really help you lose weight? Does cutting calories hold the key to weight loss? Can you have pasta for dinner without getting fat? Is it OK to eat a late dinner, after 8 p.m.? Plus, Dr Oz revealed the truth about reduced fat foods in our grocery stores.

Sadly, the myths we take to heart could actually be working against us when it comes to diet or weight loss. So many of us are confused about dieting that Dr Oz tackled the toughest questions he received about diet myths on his website.

Dr Oz Diet Myths: Reduced Fat & Diet Soda

Dr Oz tackled Diet Myths, including Reduced Fat secrets and Diet Soda weight loss results.

Dr Oz: Diet Soda Weight Loss Results

Do you believe that drinking diet soda can help you lose weight? Megan was in the audience, and she believed this is true, since it has fewer calories than a regular soda. However, she admitted that she hasn’t noticed that her diet soda habit is having an effect on her weight loss.

The problem with sugary drinks is that our bodies get addicted to the sweet taste of our favorite sodas. Regular soft drinks contain sugar, which satisfies the body’s natural sugar cravings. But diet sodas are loaded with artificial sweeteners that actually make your brain more aware that it hasn’t gotten the sugar it craves. That’s how you end up eating cookies or other sugary treats, which definitely won’t help your diet.

Dr Oz suggested passing on the soda machine and trying something fizzy that’s healthier for you, such as Lemon Juice or Seltzer Water.

Dr Oz: Does Cutting Calories Make You Lose Weight

Tina shared her diet myth question with Dr Oz: Does a low calorie diet lead to weight loss? Many of us probably believe that cutting more calories out of our diets will help us ratchet up our weight loss. But this is another myth!

You may see short term results from this type of diet, such as losing a pound in one week by cutting out 500 daily calories. But as you wean yourself off calories, you’re actually slowing the body’s metabolism and teaching it to retain fat stores as a nutrient source. That’s why dieters hit discouraging plateaus.

Dr Oz: Does Pasta Make You Fat?

Another audience member complained to Dr Oz that she hasn’t been able to shed her baby weight. She’s cut pasta out of her menu, but that hasn’t seemed to make a difference.

Dr Oz said that it’s not actually the pasta in our favorite meals that packs on pounds. It’s the meat, sauce, and cheese piled high atop your favorite noodles that’s really adding up, sometimes doubling or tripling the calories of the pasta alone.

He said you can control your portions by making the OK sign with your thumb and forefinger. Your serving of spaghetti shouldn’t be more than can fit through this circle. Try skipping the sauce and simply garnishing your dish with salt and olive oil. The pasta will still fill you up, without loading up on calories.

Dr Oz: Is Eating Dinner Late Bad For Your Diet?

Sometimes after a long day, you might not get home in time for dinner. Kimberly said she’s heard that eating after 8 p.m. causes you to gain more weight.

Dr Oz debunked this myth also, explaining that an average woman needs around 1800 calories daily. If you’re fitting regular meals into your schedule, you’re doing great. But most of what people eat late in the evening is junk, like popcorn or ice cream, which is what actually ends up wrecking your diet.

If you’re a late eater, think about when you consume calories throughout your day and plan ahead for the calories you’ll eat at your dinner after dark. You can also think about keeping healthier snack choices in your pantry.