Myth: I shouldn't eat any fat.

Fact: Fat serves many important functions, such as storing energy, transporting certain vitamins and providing flavour and texture to foods. When it comes to weight loss, kilojoules are the bottom line. Reduced-fat foods often have reduced kilojoules compared to their full-fat counterparts. But, be sure to check the label, as some reduced-fat or fat-free foods have added sugar to maintain their flavour, which increases the kilojoules. When it comes to health,  the best type of fat to include in our diets are polyunsaturated such as omega-3’s  and omega-6’s or mono unsaturated  such as the omega 9’s. This means including oily fish, nuts and seeds, healthy oils like olive and canola.

Myth: Certain foods can help burn fat.

Fact: There are no foods with magic fat-burning ingredients. Some foods with caffeine temporarily speed up your metabolism, but probably not enough to lead to weight loss.The same can be said for spicy foods like the capsaicin in chilli. However,  there is some exciting emerging research looking at components in green tea assisting with fat loss.

Myth: Cutting out carbohydrates is the best way to lose weight.

Fact: A very low carbohydrate menu is not a healthy way to lose weight! It may stress your kidneys and cause headaches, dehydration and bad breath. It can also make you feel tired, weak, dizzy and nauseated. Although initial weight loss may be rapid, studies show that loss is mostly water and, over time, the total weight lost is no greater than with a more moderate eating plan. It is also difficult to follow such a restrictive diet over the long-term. Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, beans and other starches are not only rich in carbohydrates, they also provide dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals as well as other antioxidants. Eliminating these foods may reduce nutrients that are important to help prevent osteoporosis, heart disease and certain cancers. By following a nutritionally balanced menu like Jenny Craig's, you may both lose weight and reduce disease risk.

Myth: Eating after 8.00 pm leads to weight gain.

Fact: Your body burns food the same way no matter what time it is. What matters is: what you eat, how much you eat and how active you are. No matter when you eat, excess kilojoules will be stored as fat. If you are eating high kilojoule and high fat foods while watching late night television, you may gain weight because of your food choices, not due to the time of day. Also, snacking while doing other things like watching television can easily lead to overeating, because distractions may cause you to lose track of how much you are eating.

Myth: I can only lose weight if I eat less than 4000 kilojoules per day.

Fact: Consuming too few kilojoules can send your body into "starvation mode." Your metabolism slows down, putting your body into a state of survival in which it conserves more of the kilojoules you eat, making it more difficult for you to lose weight.