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15 Healthy Weight Management or Weight Loss Myths

By Ethan Boldt

April 25, 2025

In efforts to lose weight or manage a healthy weight, many different strategies are often attempted. New diets are tried, certain foods are substituted, new supplements are taken, maybe more exercise occurs.

Whether or not these efforts are successful, confusion can often reign because of so much contradictory information about how to lose weight or manage a healthy weight. In fact, it’s one of the main reasons why one doesn’t lose weight if that’s the goal, for confusion can cause lack of commitment or even attempting strategies that are doomed to fail.

With that in mind, here are 15 healthy weight management or weight loss myths. Demystifying these commonly held beliefs can help put your weight management plan on the right track.

1. Myth: Protein intake doesn’t have much of an impact on weight management

Fact: Protein significantly impacts healthy weight management, for it helps you feel full (so you eat less overall), build lean muscle (which boosts metabolism) and even helps preserve lean mass during weight loss (in addition to a healthy reduced-calorie diet and lifestyle, including regular exercise).

Of the three macronutrients (carbohydrates, fat and protein) that play distinct roles in our diet, protein is the most common macronutrient that many people do not get enough of. Aim to get 20 percent to 30 percent of your daily calories from protein.

Note that your body doesn't store protein, so it's important to get protein throughout the day rather than one big protein meal.

2. Myth: Carbs are carbs

Fact: Simple and complex carbohydrates work very differently in the body for weight management.

Simple carbs are rapidly digested and turn to sugar in the bloodstream quickly, which can negatively impact levels of blood sugar and makes it more likely you’ll store this sugar as fat. Complex carbs are high in fiber and take longer to digest, making them also more filling.

Choose complex carbohydrates like oats, whole-grain bread, beans, berries and brown rice. Avoid simple carbohydrates like soda, white bread, packaged cookies and breakfast cereal.

3. Myth: Protein powders only serve to build muscle and make you bulky

Fact: Protein powders can assist in building lean muscle, but as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle, muscle recovery and satiety.

Ancient Nutrition’s Multi Collagen Advanced Lean powder (cinnamon flavor) from 10 food-based sources is a healthy weight management supplement designed to help you burn calories and boost your metabolism.

Ancient Nutrition’s Whey Protein + Fat Loss* Blend supports a healthy, lean body composition, reduces body fat percentage, and even helps burn calories and boost metabolism.

Both supplements use a fat loss superfood blend of organic ashwagandha and organic Ceylon cinnamon. These clinically studied ingredients work together to boost metabolism, support a healthy appetite† and help reduce body fat percentage.

4. Myth: Building muscle has no effect on your fat stores

Fact: More muscle tissue helps boost the metabolism, meaning your body burns more calories at rest.

A combination of employing strength training 2 to 4 times per week along with a protein powder can help build lean muscle.

5. Myth: A cheat day and a cheat meal are the same thing

Fact: A cheat meal can be a temporary break from a more regimented diet and has several benefits, but a cheat day can mean multiple meals of excessive calories and make it harder to reach your goals.

While both cheat meals and cheat days may help boost your metabolism and leptin production, which slows down when you’re restricting calories, cheat meals tend to be more sustainable and make it easier to get back on the horse the next meal.

6. Myth: Fiber doesn’t impact weight management

Fact: While fiber helps you stay regular, it also helps you feel fuller longer and even can reduce sugar cravings.

The average person only gets 15–20 grams of fiber each day when you should be getting almost double that daily from a variety of high-fiber foods and supplements.

Get more high-fiber foods into your daily diet, like oats, seeds, legumes, broccoli, sweet potatoes, apples, pears and bananas. Also check out Ancient Nutrition's Organic Fiber powder (available in pineapple mango and raspberry lemonade flavors).

7. Myth: All energy drinks are bad

Fact: While many commercial energy drinks have artificial flavors and colors, preservatives and perhaps excessive caffeine from multiple sources, there are health-minded energy drinks you can use or make.

Aim to use an energy drink with preferred caffeine sources, no artificial colors or sweeteners, and low-calorie sweeteners like stevia. Ancient Nutrition's Clean Energy supplement is designed to promote alertness, focus and cognitive health, plus physical performance and endurance. It contains 74 milligrams of caffeine per serving — less than a typical cup of coffee — and comes in two flavors: cherry limeade and strawberry kiwi.

8. Myth: Multiple snacks and frequent small meals boost the metabolism

Fact: Frequent snacking between meals can lead to weight gain because excess calories are usually consumed.

Instead, it’s better to stick to structured meal times along with one afternoon snack. Ideally, choose a balanced macronutrient snack that has healthy carbs, fat and protein. For example, a sliced apple with peanut butter or hummus and cut-up veggies.

9. Myth: Any type of cardio works for weight loss

Fact: Doing cardio that is either simply too easy and doesn’t raise your heart rate very high means you’re not getting the calorie burn that you probably want in order to help lose weight or manage a healthy weight. Same deal with cardio that is too brief.

The reality is that, in order to access your fat stores, you need to do longer cardio, as in over 40 minutes. When you exercise, you first burn through stored glycogen in the muscles for energy. It’s only after about 20 or 30 minutes that your body goes into fat-loss mode. To achieve genuine fat loss during a workout, 40 to 60 minutes of lower- to moderate-intensity exercise is advised.

10. Myth: Cardio and strength training affect the metabolism in the same way

Fact: Cardio helps burn calories (and eventually fat) during a workout but only affects your metabolism for about two hours afterwards. Strength training? It can boost your metabolism for up to 48 hours.

To lose weight or manage a healthy weight, it’s advised to do a combination of cardio and strength training each week. 2 to 5 sessions of each.

11. Myth: Your gut health has nothing to do with weight management

Fact: While more studies need to be conducted, some recent research indicates that your gut microbiome plays a role in healthy weight management and that there are ways to harness its potential for a leaner you.

Yes, your gut bacteria can impact how different foods are digested and produce chemicals that help make you feel full. In a January 2022 study published in Gut Microbes, healthy weight management was positively associated with increases in gut bacterial diversity and a healthy intestinal lining.

12. Myth: Thirst and hunger are never confused

Fact: Drinking more water and hydrating more can help resist overeating.

Do you sometimes mistake thirst for hunger? For one, being thirsty in the first place means that you’re lacking hydration. Secondly, not having enough water and other hydrating liquids can make you feel hungrier.

Drink calorie-free or low-calorie beverages like filtered water, sparkling or mineral water, and green or herbal teas.

Also consider an electrolyte drink, as it can help regulate fluid balance, support healthy muscle and nerve function, and aid in healthy digestion. Try Ancient Nutrition’s Multi Collagen Advanced Hydrate (mixed berry or lemon lime) or Rapid Hydration powder — available in stick packs — for essential electrolytes and fast-acting hydration.

13. Myth: As long as you work out, it doesn’t matter how much you move for the rest of the day

Fact: While getting in that daily workout is vital to healthy weight management, it’s also important to not be sedentary the rest of the day for improving one’s ability to shed weight.

According to studies, Americans spend more than 70 percent of their awake hours sitting, usually using a computer, a smartphone, watching TV or talking with others. Sitting this much puts your general health at risk, including slowing your circulation to your legs for example, but also affects your bone mass and lean muscle mass negatively. It’s also associated with weight gain.

Make sure to get up and move every hour at least, and take breaks that aren’t connected to your phone.

14. Myth: Emotions have nothing to do with weight management

Fact: Emotional eating is a thing, as when we’re not happy or feeling positive, we often gravitate towards comfort foods rather than healthy ones.

Start mindful eating. Think about what you’re about to eat. Are you really hungry or just stress eating? Portion out the food and even if it's not the healthiest, simply try to limit the amount and couple it with something healthy. E.g. a small bowl of chips and an apple. This will help fill you and still satisfy that craving.

15. Myth: Not sleeping enough has no impact on weight management

Fact: Not getting 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep per night can prevent you from recovering from exercise and stress, increase your hunger levels and even create havoc for your hormones.

Try to go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same time each day, as it’ll become a habit that your body gets used to. Try to steer clear of disturbing news or entertainment before bed, and in general remove all blue light emitting devices an hour or two before bed.