There is so much information out there regarding health and fitness, it can be hard to dissect the truth from the tall tales. Here are some of the common myths, and the truth behind them.

Myth: Skipping meals means skipping calories, which will lead to weight loss.

Many people feel like the less they eat, the more likely they will be to lose weight. This is not the case for a few reasons. Skipping meals can wreak havoc on your metabolism. If you aren’t eating consistently your blood sugar will spike and drop. This causes extreme increases in the amount of insulin that is released. Insulin is a storage drug, and excess amounts of it can lead to fat storage in the body. Those who skip meals tend to binge and overcompensate when they actually do eat. Overeating can lead to increased amounts of stomach fat. Eating small meals regularly throughout the day will keep you from overeating and will keep your metabolism on track.

Myth: Eating late at night will cause me to gain more weight.

Calories are calories. If you have to eat late at night because of your schedule it isn’t the end of the world. Just be sure to make healthy meal choices, and don’t overeat.

Myth: Carbohydrates will cause weight gain.

There has been a lot of hype about the high protein, low carbohydrate diet being the only way to lose weight over the past few years, and because of this people are afraid that eating carbs will cause them to gain weight. This is completely untrue. If you are eating a diet full of whole grains, lean protein, fruits and vegetables, and low-fat dairy products you will lose weight. Your concern should be the amount of calories that you are consuming. You could gain weight on a diet of healthy foods if you are consuming more calories than you need. Carbohydrates are necessary for your body to function properly. To have the adequate amount of energy you need and want to live a happy, healthy life, you need to have carbohydrates.

Myth: You should only work out in the fat burning zone.

If you are looking to burn the most calories possible, working out in the fat burning zone is not the best workout for you. Increasing your intensity will help you to burn more calories overall. Interval workouts are the best way to lose weight because they allow you to maximize your calorie burn. Pushing yourself to a high intensity and then allowing a short time for an active recovery will keep you burning a lot of calories, while still allowing you to catch your breath.

Continue reading for more diet info, weight loss help, and information on how to lose belly fat.