Don't fall for these diet myths!

It's hard enough to lose weight without falling prey to the numerous myths that have sprung up. Why do they exist? Because weight loss is a multi-billion-dollar per year.

Here are some prevalent diet myths that you shouldn't fall for:

• Dieting is the only route to losing weight and keeping it off.
• You must have a strong will to lose weight.
• Eating only certain foods (the "grapefruit diet") or certain foods in certain combinations, will make you lose weight.
• Exercise is supposed to hurt and be really hard...no pain, there's no gain.

Dieting is a temporary solution to a permanent problem. When you do it, you're set up to be deprived. You constantly think of what you can't have. And then, of course, you go off your diet...and the weight comes back, with a little extra.

Now, about willpower...yes, if you're on one of those crazy diets you probably do need willpower to stick it out! When you're doing something you hate, it takes willpower to stick with it. However, you shouldn't have to have immense willpower. You should be able to make some effective changes in your eating habits...changes that you can live with for life.

EnergyFirst has developed a healthy lifestyle program that is designed to be sustainable over the long-term. Check out "Program Guidelines" at www.energyfirst.com for more information.

There is no scientific evidence or any studies that support the idea of diets such as the "grapefruit diet." If there were, you'd better believe the diet merchants would be touting that fact. There is no magic pill that makes you lose weight with no bad side effects, and there is no magic food or combination of foods that makes you lose weight. Every food has some good and bad things that it can do, and it contains some combination of protein, carbs and fats.

You don't have to workout like an elite athlete to get fit. Try these simple ways to get more movement into your life:

• Park in the farthest spot from the gym or store, not the closest, so that you must walk farther.
• Lift things instead of using tools like wheelbarrows.
• Walk over to the neighbors instead of driving.
• Play with your children more, instead of dropping them off for a play date or at daycare.

Bottom line, a "diet" is any nutrition program that involves counting calories, blocks or points; packaged meals; quick fix pills, unreasonable reduction of caloric intake; starving or depriving yourself in any way. A diet is often a program that is not balanced, health enhancing or sustainable for the rest of your life.

We encourage you to look for healthy lifestyle programs that promote reasonable changes to your daily eating habits and lifestyle, such as the EnergyFirst Program.

More tips on healthy weight loss can be found by visiting www.energyfirst.com.