You really want to lose weight, but you would prefer it to be as simple as possible, so, you are ready to believe in just about anything. Also, you really don’t want to visit a doctor, and your dietary regiment is based on hear-say? Did you know that you can put yourself in real danger by doing this?

Here are some of the most common misconceptions regarding losing weight.

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Ignore the number regiments

If a diet has a number in its name, ignore it. 7-day diet, 72-hour diet, 12-hour crazy cleanse… All of these are misguiding you. They are implying that there is an endpoint, a goal that has to be reached before you are free to eat whatever you want. This way, you are not actually paying attention to things that led to you gaining that extra weight. Therefore, so you are not solving anything, you are just putting a patch on.

You have to work out at least one hour a day

If you ask a doctor, he will tell you that 30 minutes of physical activity, spread throughout the day is more than enough exercise. Walk for 10 minutes. Lift weights in front of the TV for another 10, and do a brisk 10-minute walk on your way home from work. There are habits that you can stick with long-term to avoid regaining weight once you reach your goal.

Jumpstart is a no-no

There are no immediate results. Therefore, jumpstarts like severe restrictions for several days will not really help you. You can even starve yourself into unconsciousness – and we bet that was not your main goal. We can understand that a quick result will motivate you to go on, but a balanced, slow diet is much better than a quick fix.

Calorie diets

Yes, the number of calories you ingest matters. However, but lowering the numbers won’t always get you to that goal figure. During the calorie diets, you lose fat as well as muscle – which is not what you wanted, right? Muscles are the machine that burns your calories. Lose too much muscle, and the weight will come back much faster.

Gluten free

We get it; it’s popular to be g-free since many celebrities are doing it. But here’s the thing; it is not the elimination of gluten that makes you slim down. It is the fact that on those diets you stop eating entire food groups. Additionally, not everything that is gluten free is good for you. For instance, potato chips are completely gluten-free, but we don’t hear anyone saying we should eat those, right?

Say no to carbs

Sounds logical, right? If you give up on pasta and bread, you should lose weight. Sadly, that is wrong. According to a study from 2015, calorie-for-calorie, it helped more to restrict fat in the diet than to cut carbs. Honestly, all you need to do is to find an eating plan that will be best combined with your lifestyle and make you feel good.

Supplements don’t really boost your metabolism

Sorry to burst this pill-popping bubble, but we have to. If you are looking to lose weight, you need a different approach. You have to exercise, eat healthy food and get healthy habits and behaviors. Supplements are shortcuts that can be harmful and are certainly pointless. No supplement in the world will suppress your hunger and burn fat. Sorry. You have to do that on your own.

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Low-fat foods are not your friend

Less fat should mean fewer calories, right? Sorry, but no, that is only what the companies that produce low-fat foods are hoping you would believe. What it turns out is that only 60 percent of those low-fat foods actually have a significantly smaller amount of calories. If you really care about this, check the label of both the low-fat and regular version, and have in mind that full-fat versions will make you feel more full.

If you have really decided to lose weight, you can’t find a shortcut, sorry. You have to make a smart plan; you have to be strong and change all those bad habits. You also have to start eating healthier, be physically active, willing to adopt a new lifestyle and stick with it forever.

In the end, if you are really looking to lose weight, do it the smart way and ignore these misguided tips.