With the first tentative signs of spring making an appearance many of us turn our thoughts to summer holidays or upcoming social events. But all too often our anticipation is accompanied by the dreaded thoughts of 'I've got nothing to wear' or 'none of my party clothes fit anymore'.

This often leads to some extreme crash dieting which just makes us grumpy and miserable, followed by despair when all the weight we've lost just piles back on again as soon as we return to eating normally.

As a registered Nutritional Therapist, I've encountered all manner of diets and 'quick fixes' but as an advocate for evidence-based nutrition, it's my job to sort facts from fiction.

Here's the real truth behind 5 of the most common dieting myths.

1. Carbs are the enemy

So often you hear of people banishing carbs from their diet in a bid to lose weight, but let me tell you that certain carbs can actually help weight loss. Wholemeal carbs are rich in fibre and can make you feel fuller for longer, helping you to eat less and so lose weight.

When it comes to carbs, it's all about the type of carbs you eat - refined carbs have no fibre in them and are found in white bread, white pasta, baked goods including cakes and biscuits, chocolates and sweets. They are digested very quickly and are broken down into sugars at a rapid rate which means our blood sugar level spikes.

You want to avoid this as it leads to a subsequent insulin spike to bring your blood sugar back down which can cause a crash in blood sugar. Low blood sugar results in cravings for more quickly absorbed carbs, creating a cycle of carb binges.

Choosing unrefined complex carbs doesn't causes this blood sugar rollercoaster to occur - foods like wholegrain bread, wholewheat pasta, brown rice, oats and quinoa are rich in fibre. Fibre slows your digestion down meaning you feel fuller for longer, and is also broken down into sugar more slowly so you don't experience a spike in your blood sugar. Wholegrain carbs are also a source of B-vitamins, iron and magnesium, so not only do they not cause weight gain when eaten in moderation, but are highly nutritious too.

2. Juice and liquid diets help the body to detox

There isn't any one food or diet that can put your body into 'detox' - instead your liver is constantly converting toxins in your body into waste products, cleansing your blood and producing bile for healthy digestion. You don't need to drink juices for five days to do this!

While a juice 'detox' diet is likely to give you a big dose of water-soluble vitamins, juice has no fibre to slow down its transit through your body. Instead of absorbing the vitamins and getting their benefit, you'll just be excreting them out of your body.

Juices are also very high in free sugars. When whole fruits and vegetables are blended up, their fibre content is diminished and the natural juices within them are released meaning they will behave in the same way as sugar added to your food.

Your body will experience a rapid rise in blood sugar following your juice leading to a rapid 'crash' a short time later leading to feelings of hunger and irritability. If that wasn't enough, a juice-only diet means you'll be missing out on fundamental nutrients including protein, fibre and unsaturated fats.

Liquid diets are not a safe or sustainable approach to weight loss - they fail to nourish the body and can lead to significant nutrient deficiencies.

3. You need to feel hungry to lose weight

Losing weight can be challenging but it need not make you miserable. You may find you do feel hungry when you first switch to a lower calorie intake, but this shouldn't last for long. If you are finding that you are very hungry then it's most likely that you're not eating enough.

Following a moderate calorie reduction and making good dietary choices means that you can lose weight without experiencing extreme hunger pangs. Foods rich in protein and fibre - the two most filling nutrients - will help to keep you satisfied for longer and your blood sugar levels stable.

Foods with a high-water content are good too - think low-sugar fruits like berries, non-starchy vegetables and soups. You can eat a bigger volume of these foods for the same number of calories which will help with feelings of fullness and satisfaction.

4. You need to cut out certain foods to lose weight

Many diets will recommend cutting out certain foods such as starchy carbs, takeaways, cakes, chocolate and wine in a bid to make your diet 'clean'. But this is not really necessary - while many of these foods ought to be treated as an occasional part of your diet, there is no need to cut them out completely. Having a little of what you fancy can help you to stay on track with your eating plan.

Instead, it's important to choose an approach that is sustainable rather than a quick fix. It's absolutely possible to lose weight while still enjoying the odd takeaway, glass of wine or chocolate bar - it's about striking the right balance. As I talked about in my November newsletter, including some treats makes losing weight sustainable and builds a long-term positive attitude to food. My motto is 80% of the time eat foods for nourishment, and the other 20% eat foods for enjoyment as this is the best approach for long-term success.

5. The less you eat, the more weight you'll lose

While it might be tempting to severely restrict your calorie intake in a bid to boost weight loss, dropping to a very low calorie intake (below 1,200kcal per day) is not a sensible long-term approach. Dropping your energy intake too low will not only be unpleasant, it will also not help your long-term success - your body will adapt to the low intake in a bid to preserve energy which will make weight loss harder in the long run.

I recommend an absolute minimum intake of 1,200kcal per day - 1,400kcal if you are someone who is relatively active.

There is some evidence that eating more and moving more is more conducive to weight loss and eating less and moving less. For example, eating 1,600kcal per day and burning 400kcal through exercise may keep your metabolism higher than eating 1,200kcal and not doing any exercise.

Final thoughts

In summary, an extreme approach to weight loss is not the way to go. While you may experience weight loss initially, this is usually not sustainable and research shows that many people will simply regain the weight (and often more!) when they return to eating normally.

The best approach is to make small adjustments to you diet that you can sustain in the long-term - your body will function better when it's well-fuelled and nourished.

5 Common Diet Myths Debunked