It's About More than Calories and Carbs.

• Position: WEIGHT CONTROL

Fictions surrounding weight loss can be found everywhere--from social media posts to out of the mouths of trusted friends. Here are some things to know about losing weight, courtesy of Robert Posner, founder of the Serotonin-Plus Weight Loss Program.

Losing weight is about more than simply calories in vs. calories burned. 'The fact is that we know that there are 3,500 calories in a pound, but we do not know the person's metabolic rate, which is the big missing factor in determining how many calories someone needs per day to lose weight. When you eat frequently, especially when you eat protein, you can increase your metabolic rate, and end up speeding up weight loss efforts."

Exercise is not more important than dietary intake for losing weight. "Although exercise is an excellent component to helping people lose weight, calories are burned off much slower during exercise than what can be consumed orally. As an example, 60 minutes on an elliptical machine may burn off 600 calories, whereas consumption of a monstrous cheeseburger that may take only five minutes to eat will bring in almost 600 calories."

There are prescription diet pills that can support weight loss. "Of course, people need to be screened for medical problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and other significant issues prior to being prescribed these medications. For those with no medical contraindications, these medications can be very...