It seems nowadays that everywhere you look, be it television, magazines, billboards or here on the internet, someone is telling you their great tip for how to shed a few pounds. With so much conjecture and hearsay going on regarding dietary advice it is really more helpful to know what things you should be ignoring as opposed to what you should actually be listening to. That's where this guide might help. This looks at some of the more damagingly misjudged pieces of bad diet advice you might pick up here or there and why they are so wrong. 

It is highly likely you have, at some point, heard someone tell you that drinking with meals is what makes you bloated and flabby. The argument is that any beverage (even water) has a diluting effect on your stomach acids and make food indigestible. This actually could not be more wrong – the combination of water and digestive fluids in your gut actually help you break down food more effectively. Another popular one you might have picked up is that by cutting out carbs completely and sticking with a protein only diet you will soon become trim and slim. Though this works in the short term, as the dehydrating effect on your body will help you lose some fluid based weight, it does not actually help cut down on fat and once you break the diet (which you really have to do, as eating that way for a long time is not healthy) the weight will return right away.

One of the more bizarre tips you may well have heard regarding dieting is the idea that the best way to lose weight is to cut down on all fruit except grapefruits. As crazy as it sounds this has somehow become a popular idea in some circles, the thinking being that the high sugar content in fruit contributes to fat building in the body. There are plenty of other things that should be cut out of a diet ahead of fruit if you are trying to lose weight. In fact the sugar in most fruits is almost harmless thanks to the high levels of fibre they also contain.