Myth: Eat your Veggies...ONLY your Veggies
While there is no denying that eating vegetables will make you healthier and trimmer, eating only vegetables without meat or protein will just make you iron deficient. While you don't need meat to lose weight or to eat more nutritiously in general, you should not cut out these foods, if you eat them already, in order to drop those pesky five pounds.
Result: If you are not going to eat meat, you must replace your iron and protein source with other kinds of vegetables and carbohydrates such as whole wheat pasta and beans. However, if you already eat meat, don't deny yourself this food group. Chicken, without the skin, turkey, and beef, any kind not in the form of a double whopper or Big Mac, provides a great addition to any meal. With all of the protein and iron you will intake, your energy levels with stay high, your stomach will be full and you won't be susceptible to a drop in blood sugar causing cravings for anything fattening and caloric.
Myth: No Carbs, No Weight
Cut out the bread, chips, pretzels, pasta and potatoes and that's five pounds right there, right? Wrong. Most think once they cut the carbs, the weight will instantly follow shortly thereafter, however while this might be true at first there is only so long you can go without bread. People who tend to go on these diets gain it back anyway and their efforts of resisting pizza, bagels and cereal for two weeks on end is often lost.
Result: Eat bread! Of course a diet high in carbs and low in everything else is a no-no, but incorporating "good" carbs, i.e. anything fiber-full such as whole wheat grains, will help you curb your cravings. It will also help your digestive system, something that is always good to keep on track.
Remember when it comes to dieting some may work for others, but more often than not if you're cutting out a whole group of foods, it probably won't be too long before your diet plan becomes a diet crash.