The truth behind 10 common diet, exercise myths

Myth No. 1: Snacking after dinner causes weight gain.

Fact: What and how much you eat, and the amount of physical activity you do during an entire day, determines whether you gain, lose or maintain your weight. Common evening snacks such as ice cream, potato chips and dip and cookies add to your calorie intake for the day, and these calories are what results in weight gain.

Myth No. 2: Carbohydrates will cause weight gain.

Fact: Carbohydrate is the body's preferred source of energy. The problem comes when we consume too much and, most of us love carbs such as potatoes, bread and pasta. These foods are very easy to overeat, and the extra calories consumed as a result can lead to weight gain.

Myth No. 3: Our body weight determines how healthy we are.

Fact: Many factors determine how healthy we are, including diet and exercise. An overweight person who eats well and exercises consistently is healthier than a slender person who smokes, doesn't exercise and eats an unhealthy diet.

Myth No. 4: Eating sugar causes diabetes.

Fact: Diabetes is the result of not having enough insulin and not using that insulin effectively. The main risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes are eating high-calorie diets, being overweight and having an inactive lifestyle.

Myth No. 5: Eating eggs will raise your cholesterol.

Fact: Egg yolks have the most concentrated amount of cholesterol of any food, but studies have shown that it is not the cholesterol in our diet that has the biggest impact on our cholesterol numbers -- it's saturated fat and trans fat. We should focus on limiting these two types of fats in our diet. Eggs can be a good source of protein and other nutrients, but I recommend you limit your egg consumption to four whole eggs per week.

Myth No. 6: Drink eight, 8-ounce glasses of water per day.

Fact: While it's important to remain hydrated, everybody has different fluid needs based on the climate they live in, the amount of exercise they do and their diet. The best way to measure your hydration level is by the color of your urine. If your urine is pale yellow, you're doing a good job. If it's a darker yellow, drink more water.

Myth No. 7: My bread is brown; therefore, it is a good source of fiber.

Fact: A good source of fiber will have a dietary fiber value of at least 3 grams per serving. To see if it's whole grain, read the ingredients. The first word should be "whole," indicating it has not been refined.

Myth No. 8: Skipping meals can help me lose weight.

Fact: Most of us have attempted this method of weight loss, but your body compensates for the skipped meal by conserving the energy or calories that you consume the rest of the day. Skipping a meal causes our metabolism to slow down and burn fewer calories. It also increases hunger and leads to overeating at our next meal.

Myth No. 9: It's not worth exercising if you don't have an hour.

Fact: Any amount of exercise provides benefits. Studies show that 10-minute bouts of exercise added up through the day provide similar benefits as doing it all at once.

Myth No. 10: Morning is the best time to exercise.

Fact: It doesn't matter when you exercise. Just make a commitment to do it.