Separate Fitness Fact From Fiction

FORT WORTH, Texas -- When it comes to eating right and exercising, separating fact from fiction can be as challenging as a workout at the gym. Diet and fitness experts set the record straight.

Here are some common beliefs, and the truth behind them, according to experts.

Doing stomach crunches will get rid of a potbelly:

Fiction

According to fitness instructor Elanna Schwab, exercise alone isn't enough to eliminate body fat.

"That's absolutely a lie. You can contract the muscles in your abdomen and make them firmer, but without watching your diet and reducing your calories, you will not get rid of your potbelly," Schwab said.

You should always stretch before working out:

Fiction

The latest research from the British Medical Journal found that stretching before exercise may be a waste of time.

Eating five small meals a day will help you lose weight:

Fact

According to registered dietitian Althea Zanecosky, eating several smaller meals each day instead of two or three larger ones will rev up your metabolism, helping to use more calories throughout the day.

"Eating more often, spreading out your calories, helps your furnace to burn more efficiently," Zanecosky said.

You put on more pounds by eating later in the evening:

Fiction

According to Zanecosky, eating later in the evening doesn't necessarily mean that you'll gain more weight.

"Eating after 6 p.m. does not make you gain weight," Zanecosky said. "It doesn't really matter what time of the day that you eat, as long as you burn off the calories that are in the food that you've eaten."

Almost everyone should take a vitamin supplement:

Fact

Recent major studies have found that most adults should take a daily multivitamin supplement to help fill in the dietary gaps.

Frozen vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh vegetables:

Fact

According to our expert, frozen vegetables are flash frozen right after they are picked, so they retain their nutritious value.