9 Shocking "Health Tips" That Are Actually Making You Fat

Think you know what is healthy? Think again. Some of the most widely believed health and fitness facts aren't based on scientific evidence. And believing them might be making you fat!

1. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day

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Breakfast is actually overrated. All studies “supporting” breakfast have been correlational in nature — studies showing that children who eat breakfast tend to do better in school neglect the fact that breakfast ­eating children also come from higher income families. Studies claiming that breakfast eaters are “leaner” are also faulty. People who are more health conscious skew towards eating breakfast because they’ve bought into the this tip.

If you can only eat "part of a balanced breakfast" (and not an actually-balanced breakfast) you are much better off skipping it entirely. As it turns out skipping a meal or two isn't bad for you.

2. Running is the fastest way to lose weight

Sure, running burns calories. But, running makes you hungry and leads to reward overeating. (And let's be honest: you weren't running that hard.)

But in order to lose a pound of weight each week would require roughly a marathon's of effort as the calories burned running those 26.2 miles is in the neighborhood of a pound's worth.

Of course, that means you would stick to your current eating habits once you did run, eschewing "eat because you exercised" indulgences. So skip the treadmill and the metric ton of fruit smoothie you treat yourself to after your workout.

3. Fat loss requires 2-hour workouts every day. And 3 soul-cycle classes every week.

As it turns out research suggests working out for longer provides little additional benefit when it comes to losing weight, since you body will make you want to eat more for every extra minute spent at the gym.

4. Giant Meat Burritos are Unhealthy and Fattening

Nope! Studies show that increasing your protein intake spontaneously decreases your desire to gorge on other foods.

So, double your chicken at Chipotle and hold the sour cream. For bonus points, skip the wrap and go for the bowl.

5. Sleeping in makes you lazy and fat

A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that just three nights of inadequate sleep made people significantly less sensitive to insulin. Why should you care? Insulin sensitivity keeps your blood sugar levels normal and your appetite under control.

6. Your sedentary lifestyle is making you fat

It certainly doesn't help, but eating too much of the wrong things isn't helping either. "There is no single, simple answer to explain the obesity patterns" in America, says Walter Willett, who chairs the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.

7. Lifting weights is only for bulky weightlifters

The man in the above gif did not wake up looking like this one morning. In fact, he, like everyone else, can only put on 0.5 lbs of muscle a week. He's just been at it for a very long time.

8. Lifting weights makes women bulky

Yeah—this princess is really beasting out there.

Women don't have enough testosterone to get bulky (and if you really wanted to get bulky it would require bit of extra hormonal help if you know what I'm saying). And just like men, you don't "bulk out" overnight. We promise. Honest. No seriously. If you are feeling bulkier it is far more likely to be the fat than your new muscles.

9. Eating fat makes you fat

Dietary fat does not automatically become body fat. As it turns out, dietary fat is digested slowly, allowing your body to use that energy throughout the day.

This slow digestion also keeps you fuller for longer, making it easier to eat less and control food cravings throughout the day. Even saturated fat has its place. A review of all the research on saturated fat published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found there was no correlation between saturated fat and heart disease.

Eat your fats. They're good for you!*

*Except transitive (trans) fat. If you live in a modern city, like New York, it's banned anyway.