Can I? Can't I? What really tips the scales?

Conflicting information about nutrition and exercise is circulating daily via infomercials, magazines, videos, the internet and friends. This misinformation is damaging people's health and wellbeing. Personal trainer Gary Dawkins looks at some of the most common nutritional and exercise myths.

1 - I can't eat eggs as they will give me high cholesterol levels. We are often told that eating foods rich in cholesterol can elevate the risk of heart attacks.

Egg yolks are a rich source of cholesterol, but research has shown dietary cholesterol intake does not correlate well with blood cholesterol.

This means that eating foods rich in cholesterol does not necessarily increase the risk of cardiac problems.

This is because the body makes its own cholesterol and so eating more cholesterol means the body will produce less of its own.

The best way to deal with high cholesterol is to exercise more and improve the overall quality of your food intake.

You don't have to ban all foods that contain cholesterol. So, yes, poached eggs can be on the menu for breakfast at the weekend.

2 - Fad diets are great for weight loss. Fad diets promise quick weight loss or tell you to cut certain foods out of your daily intake.

Yes, you may well lose weight fast, but the weight is sure to go back on as your body responds by slowing down its metabolic rate.

Because you are basically starving your body, it responds and protects itself by conserving energy.

When you finally succumb to the need to eat more, not only is your metabolism going to be significantly slower, but your body will start to store more energy as fat. Losing weight at a rapid rate (more than 1.5kg per week) may increase the risk of developing gallstones.

Restrictive diets will also deprive you of certain nutrients that are essential for optimal daily life.

3 - Carbohydrates are bad for me and should be avoided. Not so. They are the preferred fuel source for the body.

The majority of daily food intake should be complex carbohydrates such as whole-grain bread, brown rice, pasta, cereals, beans, fruit and potatoes.

These foods are actually low in fat and calories and only become high in fat and calories when eaten in large amounts or when covered in high-fat toppings like butter, sour cream or mayonnaise.

The problem is these complex carbohydrate foods are tasty and satisfying, so are often eaten in too large a quantity.

It's easy - simply have your six to 11 servings of complex carbohydrates a day and make certain you know what a serving consists of.

For example, one serving equals one slice of bread, one cup of pasta or rice, or 28g of ready-to-eat cereal.

You should stay clear of the simple refined carbohydrates (sugars) such as cakes, biscuits, muffins, white bread and sugary cereals.

4 - Eating after 8pm causes me to gain weight. The time of the day we eat is irrelevant.

It is the total calories consumed and the exercise completed daily that determines weight gain, weight loss or weight maintenance.

No matter when you eat, if you do not use all the calories you have consumed, your body will store the extra calories as fat.

It is still important to consume the majority of your calories during the part of the day when you are most active. For some this will be at night.

5 - I cannot eat any of my craving foods if I want to lose weight. Yes, you can. Remember, it's all about the total calories consumed a day.

You can still treat yourself every day as long as you include the treats in the daily total of calories consumed.

Rewards are important and so is the knowledge treats have not been banned altogether.

6 - I eat healthy so I do not need to exercise. Only exercise can increase your metabolic rate by developing more lean muscle.

And a faster metabolic rate means weight loss will be sustainable for the long term.

Exercise can help strengthen the lungs and heart to prevent or delay the possibility of heart disease.

Physical activity is one of the best ways to improve cholesterol levels and relieve daily stresses. It also increases the oxygen flow throughout the body, which can improve brain function, so is great for mind, body and soul.

7 - Eating before a workout is not good. It is more important to have enough energy to complete a good workout than not eating in the hope to burn off more fat stores.

Premium sources of fuel from food and fluids are required to provide the energy for muscles to work efficiently.

Eat a small meal or snack - fruit, yoghurt or whole-wheat toast - one to two hours before exercising.

8 - My high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet is healthy. We've all heard of it - cut back on the carbs and increase the protein.

In fact, often these diets are unhealthy because they are not balanced.

A diet of this type means you are getting most of your daily calorie requirements from high-protein foods like meat and cheese.

This means you may be eating too much fat and not enough fruit, vegetables or whole grains.

This type of diet can make you feel nauseous, tired and weak.