Scared@#@#less!

In talking with clients I am constantly reminded of the dietary myths that circulate to leave people confused about weight management. Here I bust some of my favourite weight management myths.


Myth 1: Don’t eat after 7pm (or 7:30pm or 8pm, etc)
Our body doesn’t switch off at night. Our metabolism continues ticking over as our heart pumps blood, our lungs breathe, our muscle tissue repairs, etc. This happens all day and all night. In fact, we burn calories when we are sleeping, just as we do when we are awake. Our metabolism does not shut down at 7pm, so there is no reason to stop eating at any one particular time.
It is important however not to leave all of our eating until the evening. We should fuel our body regularly throughout the day so that it can perform at its best. This is even more important following weight loss surgery, as you can no longer eat the size of meals you once did. Therefore, you can’t skip your meals during the day and expect to meet your nutritional needs at night. Regular meals throughout the day are also important to control your hunger. Being ravenous at the end of the day is another trigger for overeating late at night.
Some people find rules that they should not eat after a particular time at night appealing, as this is when they tend to overeat. Overeating at night can act as a ‘reward’ for getting through the day, or as a way to relax and wind down. It may be habit as we watch TV or a movie. This is when night eating is problematic, as it is not eating for hunger. Do you eat for reasons other than hunger at night? What else could you do to relax? Could you sort through those photo albums that are overflowing, have a bubble bath or phone a friend you haven’t spoken to for sometime. What about a jigsaw puzzle, a crossword, scrapbooking, sketching or even an evening walk? The options are endless.
Myth 2: There are good foods and bad foods
Food is neither good or bad, it is what we do with it that counts. Of course, some foods are high in energy (calories/kilojoules) and have little nutrition, so these should be eaten in small amounts. However, food itself is morally neutral. We assign it the ‘good’ or ‘bad’ label, or define it as ‘allowed’ or ‘not allowed’. By labeling food in this way, we are then ‘good’ or ‘bad’ if we eat it.
A better view of food is one where all food is morally neutral. You have permission to eat any foods you choose, you can choose eat those that are more nourishing, most of the time. I often say to clients that there are 21 meals in a week, if one or two are not perfect nutritionally, it is not a problem. If the balance is reversed however and only one or two are nutritious, then this is not going to help you achieve good health.
Some foods that provide little nutrition may provide much enjoyment, so may play a very valuable role in your diet in other ways. You can and should include foods that give you pleasure, it is managing the amounts of these foods that are important in achieving good health.
Myth 3: Carbs are fattening
Nothing is fattening in isolation. Anything can be fattening if you eat too much of it. Food is made up of combinations of carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, fibre and water. Carbohydrate, protein and fat provide energy, the other nutrients do not.
If we look at the nutrients that provide us with energy in their most simple form:
• Carbohydrate contains 4 calories per gram
• Protein contains 4 calories per gram
• Fat contains 9 calories per gram.
Whilst not a food, alcohol contains 7 calories per gram
As you can see, carbohydrate itself is quite low in calories. So why does carbohydrate have such a bad reputation?
The problem with carbohydrate containing foods is the way we have come to serve and eat them. We heap rice, pasta and noodles on our plates, leaving very little room for protein foods but more importantly, vegetables and salads.
Low glycemic index, carbohydrate-containing foods can be quite nutritious and when eaten regularly, in appropriate amounts, help us manage our hunger through the day. We just need to look at how we serve them. For example, rather than serving spaghetti bolognaise as a plate or bowl of pasta topped with a little meat sauce, serve equal amounts of meat sauce and pasta on half the plate with a side salad on the other.
Myth 4: You can do some extra exercise to compensate for eating ‘bad food’
The problem with this myth is that is feeds into the ‘good food’ and ‘bad food’ myth. If exercise is something we do when we eat ‘bad food’, exercise is seen as a punishment. Exercise can help you feel good, help you sleep better, give you more energy and help you become healthier. It should be enjoyed for these benefits.
Myth 5: You need to eat every 3 hours to keep your metabolism up
Every body is programmed differently and will have a slightly different metabolic rate. Some bodies will need to be fed more frequently than others. If we set a basic meal pattern, our body will let us know how much we need to eat.
If we provide our body with appropriate fuel three times a day, it will then let us know if we need to eat more often, we just need to tune into the signals. If we start the day with breakfast, our body is given the signal we are starting the day and can help regulate how much we need to eat through the day.
You may have heard a ‘rule’ after weight loss surgery to eat only three (or less) meals per day. I strongly believe that there is no one rule that fits every person. The only way you can tell if you need to eat between meals is to tune in to your hunger and satiety signals. If you are genuinely, physically hungry between meals it may be fine to have a small snack. If you are eating as you feel bored/tired/frustrated/lonely or simply watching the clock, then you need to work on another solution.
Myth busting your way to success
Whilst the internet has brought a whole world of information to our fingertips and can help share dietary fact, it has also perpetuated lots of dietary fiction. Think about some of the food facts you have come to believe over time. Write them all down and take them along to the dietitian in your weight loss surgery team. They will help you sort the fact from fallacy.

I've read a couple post by people with plication and it seems they aren't doing so well futher out. One on the OH board was able to eat a whole medium pizza YIKES! Good luck in your research!