Myth 1: Eat breakfast to lose weight and avoid eating late at night: This is just a myth. These days intermittent fasting is really making the headlines and that's because it happens to be a really healthy option to lose weight. Many people end up skipping breakfast and have their first meal of the day at lunchtime. In fact a doctor suggests that you should opt for intermittent fasting as it “helps to improve metabolism, assists in weight loss, improves longevity and an overall sense of well being.” The doctor adds that “if you have a high-quality meal with mostly high fat and high protein, there does not have to be an 8 pm cut off (given that you’ve been fasting most of the day).”

The doctor adds that “high-fat dairy can actually promote weight loss and low-fat dairy can contribute to weight gain. It’s the opposite of what you may think. When eating dairy, stick to products such as yogurts, cheeses, kefir, and ghee.” Although he does suggest that you avoid milk as that can cause problems if you're trying to lose weight.

This, in all honesty, is debatable. The doctor says that “if you look at the longest-lived people living in Blue Zones [regions where people live longer than average], hardly any of them are vegetarians. In fact, they have a balanced diet with plenty of fish, dairy, eggs, and a variety of fruit and vegetables.” He further adds that “no extreme of any is good, being too carnivorous or following a strict vegan diet will not benefit your health.”

The doctor says that “it depends on the quality of the foods that you eat.” He says to avoid “refined carbs like white bread, pasta, cookies, cakes, pastries etc, which we know will contribute to weight gain”. However, “a well-balanced meal of chicken, vegetables and a side of quinoa, rice, or sweet potato is very healthy.”

The doctor firmly believes that rather than dieting, one must instead focus on healthy eating habits and make sure to eat healthy foods. He says that “the causes of weight gain are from poor eating habits and overeating, not eating fruit.” He adds that “having a large serving of fresh fruit for breakfast is a perfectly healthy way to start the day.”