Weight loss myths and reality

Ice water, spot reducing, skipping breakfast, metabolism boosters: the weight loss myths that won't die, and what actually works.

Few subjects attract as many myths as weight loss. Everyone wants a simple, safe solution that doesn't take willpower, and plenty of people are happy to sell one. Here are some of the most persistent claims, and what the evidence says.

Myth: you can burn fat from one part of your body

Doing sit-ups won't burn belly fat, and leg lifts won't slim your thighs. When you use more energy than you eat, your body draws on fat from all over, in a pattern largely set by your genes, sex and age. Men tend to store more fat around the abdomen, women around the hips and thighs, and that is often where it goes last.

Abdominal exercises still do something useful: they strengthen the muscles of your core, which supports your back and can make your middle look firmer. But to lose fat around the waist, you need to lose fat overall. The only way to remove fat from one spot is surgical, as with liposuction. Products that promise to target belly fat, including pills that claim to block the stress hormone cortisol, don't work.

Myth: cold food and ice water burn lots of calories

Your body does use a little energy to warm cold food and drink, but the amount is tiny. Ice cream will never burn more calories than it contains. Water is still a good choice: it has no calories, and swapping it for soda or juice cuts calories easily. Thirst is sometimes mistaken for hunger, too.

Myth: some foods or supplements "boost your metabolism"

Chili peppers, green tea, coffee and various supplements are often said to speed up metabolism. Some have a very small, short-lived effect, far too small to make a real difference to your weight. The US Federal Trade Commission warns consumers that many weight loss products make claims that aren't true.

Myth: muscle burns huge numbers of calories

Muscle does burn more energy at rest than fat, but only a few more calories a day per pound. Building muscle is still well worth it: strength training improves health, helps preserve muscle while you lose weight, and makes everyday activity easier. Just don't count on it alone to melt fat.

Myth: skipping breakfast makes you gain weight

Breakfast can be a healthy meal, but the idea that it is essential for weight loss doesn't hold up well. A 2019 review of randomized trials in the BMJ found that people who ate breakfast didn't lose more weight than those who skipped it, and actually ate slightly more calories over the day. If you like breakfast, eat it; if you aren't hungry in the morning, you don't need to force it.

Myth: eating late at night makes you fat

What matters most is how much you eat over the whole day, not the clock. That said, late-night eating is often mindless snacking in front of a screen, and that is worth watching.

Myth: carbs (or fat) are the real enemy

Low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets can both help people lose weight, mainly when they lead to eating fewer calories. Neither is magic. The diet that works best is the one you can keep to, ideally built on vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans and lean protein.

Myth: fast weight loss is better

Quick losses are mostly water and are rarely kept off. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests a gradual, steady pace of about 1 to 2 pounds a week. Read more about fad diets and crash diets.

How to spot junk science

  • Be skeptical of any plan that promises fast, easy and permanent results all at once.
  • Look for advice that agrees with major health organizations, not one new study or one doctor with a book to sell.
  • Watch out for fear-based claims that a single food is poison, or that one food will fix everything.
  • Ask who benefits: is someone selling a product?

The unglamorous truth is that a balanced diet, regular activity, enough sleep and patience work better than any shortcut. Read more on our weight loss page.

Sources

Last reviewed November 2026. This article is general information, not medical advice.