Myths About Your Weight Loss Goals

As you adjust your diet and try to work out a little more, there’s one little fact that you may not be thinking about: what you think you should you weigh may be a far harsher number than what you need to weight.

Many weight loss experts agree that people subject themselves to weight myths that end up derailing their overall goals.

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Myth: My ideal weight was my college weight.

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If you’re hoping to get back to what you weighed a few years ago, fine. But if you’re looking at 10 or more years down memory lane, stop. Many people put on weight as they get older, and a slower metabolism makes it all the harder to slim down as easily or as quickly as you did in the past. Don’t live in the past! Set a goal that works for the way you live now.

Myth: My ideal weight can be found on a standard height and weight chart.

Many factors play a role in determining your weight, such as your body type, the number of fat cells you have, how muscular you are, et cetera. The numbers on a standard body mass index (BMI) chart are just approximations, and may not be the best gauge of good health. Studies show they may undercount some women as overweight by not measuring body fat and overcount others who have a higher ratio of muscle to fat.

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Myth: My ideal weight loss goal is the max number of pounds I’ve ever lost before.

If you set a weight-loss goal that’s too low to maintain, you’ll get caught in an unhealthy vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting. Such repeated weight loss and regaining can alter your body composition, lowering the amount of muscle mass you have. This, in turn, can slow your metabolism and lower your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar. So what’s your best weight goal? The one you can actually live with.

Myth: The less I weigh, the healthier I’ll be.

This simply is not true. In fact, many studies show that if you’re overweight, losing just 5 to 10 percent of your current weight is all you have to do to reap the bulk of the health benefits associated with weight loss: lower risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and even some forms of cancer.