There are so many dieting myths swirling around it’s tough to differentiate myths from facts. As a registered dietitian, I often hear dieting advice in the oddest places, including elevators, restrooms and in the refrigerator section of the grocery store. And don’t even get me started on the dieting craziness you find on the internet given out from folks who have lost weight based on the advice of non-credentialed "nutrition experts."

Getty Images

Everyone seems to know what works and is open to giving advice. But how much of this so-called advice is really based on sound science?

Here are seven common dieting myths that simply aren't true:

You must weigh yourself daily.

Don't eat carbs at night.

Eating gluten free will lead to weight loss.

All calories are the same.

Don't combine foods if you want to lose weight.

Drinking more water helps you shed pounds.

Eating late at night causes weight gain.

Myth: Weigh Yourself Daily

“Although some diets suggest that you should be weighing yourself every day, it’s important to not give more power to this piece of equipment than it deserves," says Bonnie Taub-Dix, registered dietitian nutritionist, creator of BetterThanDieting.com and author of "Read It Before You Eat It - Taking You from Label to Table."

Taub-Dix explains that the scale is just a tool that shows one aspect of following a healthy diet for those that want to lose weight. But the scale doesn’t have feelings or emotions, and it's incapable of judging you. “Some people find it comforting to weigh themselves on a daily basis, while for others, the scale brings angst; the latter group shouldn’t weigh themselves at all. The key is knowing yourself and which tools will help you find success.”

Myth: Eating Carbs at Night Will Lead to Weight Gain

Eating carbs like fruit or starchy veggies (like potatoes) at night will not necessarily cause you to gain weight. The word on the street is that your body can’t process carbs at night and they get stored as fat. But the body is very efficient at digesting and absorbing carbs morning, noon or night. Plus, choosing high-fiber carbs like whole grains, fruits and vegetables can help make you feel full and adds nutrients that your body needs.

Myth: A Gluten-free Diet Will Lead to Weight Loss

A gluten-free diet is not a healthier alternative and not a weight loss diet. According to Emily Rubin, a registered dietitian at Thomas Jefferson University's division of gastroenterology and hepatology, a gluten-free diet "should only be prescribed by your physician (typically a gastroenterologist) or registered dietitian if you have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.” Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye grains.

“If you only eat the processed gluten-free foods, you may not get the vitamins, fiber and minerals you need,” explains Rubin. “In fact, in a study published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, researchers at the University of Hertfordshire compared nutrition labels for more than 1,700 products and found that gluten-free foods had more fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar than their traditional (gluten-containing counterparts).”

If you do choose to follow a gluten-free diet, Rubin recommends making sure to include naturally gluten-free and healthy options, like quinoa, buckwheat, oats, sweet potatoes, beans, nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables. “Anytime you decide to cut out a whole food group, always talk with your health care professional first.”

There’s some buzz that a calorie is a calorie, and it doesn’t matter what type of food it comes from. For example, a candy bar of 200 calories is the same as eating 1 cup of cooked rice or a yogurt topped with nuts and fruit. However, according to Sarah Marjoram, a nutrition consultant at www.sarahmarjoram.com, “there’s so much more to food than calories.” Marjoram says that “it’s really better to think about all the things that a particular food brings to the table, like vitamins, minerals and fiber to name a few. Focusing on the overall quality of your diet is better for your waistline and your health.”

Myth: In Order to Lose Weight, Don’t Combine Foods

A popular diet myth promotes the avoidance of combining foods like protein and carbohydrates in the same meal to help with weight loss. Flashing back to the 80s and the Fit for Life Diet, only fruit was allowed in the morning with single food groups at lunch and dinner like a protein meal of a burger without a bun or a carb-based meal of pasta without meat. According to Lauren Harris-Pincus, author of "The Protein-Packed Breakfast Club," “this makes no sense scientifically because most foods contain both protein and carbs with a few exceptions.”

Harris-Pincus explains that bread, beans, veggies, nuts, seeds, oats, potatoes and much more all contain both protein and carbs and require the digestive enzymes to process them. “This diet myth is one of avoidance, where foods like pizza, burritos, fried chicken and most higher-calorie foods would not be allowed," she says. It's the avoidance of higher-calorie food that cause any weight loss – not the lack of combining foods. She also points out that "it also doesn't promote the satiety that would normally be gained when you combine protein- and fiber-rich foods at each meal, so there's no benefit.”

Myth: Drinking More Water Will Help You Shed Pounds

Although 50% to 60% of the human body is composed of water, drinking never-ending bottles of water won’t make you lose weight, especially if you’re still eating and drinking the same amount. If the water is replacing sugary and high calorie beverages in your diet, then absolutely, it can help you lose weight. But without changes in the rest of your diet, chugging water will just have you running more often to the rest room.

Myth: Eating Late at Night Will Cause Weight Gain