Diet Hacks: 5 Diet Myths You Need To Ignore
By Stefano Chiriaco | Categories: NUTRITION | No Comments on Diet Hacks: 5 Diet Myths You Need To Ignore
Diet Hacks: 5 Diet Myths You Need To Ignore
I know for a fact that nutrition is an area of high interest with you guys and many people are confused due to the conflicting information online, so I am here to share 5 top tips that will bust common myths which are likely to hold you back from reaching your weight loss goals.
#1 LOW FAT DIETS ARE THE WAY FORWARD
We have been educated and made to believe that fats should generally be avoided to lose weight, but interestingly did you know that by eating fat you actually condition your body to burn fat for fuel? The truth is that low fat diets are very difficult to stick to because they leave you feeling hungry and unsatisfied with your meals. There is very little ‘sound’ evidence to support that fat raises your cholesterol since we produce two-thirds of it ourselves and that production only goes up when we eat little fat in the diet.
It’s important to distinguish between healthy fats and non-healthy fats, rather than paint them all with the same brush stroke. All fat included saturated fats is totally fine in the diet, it’s the trans-fats that should be avoided at all costs since it’s modified and very unnatural, these artificial fats the the true culprits of poor health in relation to heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
#2 CARBS SHOULD BE AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS
Generally speaking, people eat far too many carbs and when you really look at the energy content value of food and naturally occurring sugars, it can be quite high! This is even worse when you have a sedentary lifestyle since your energy banks that store carbs are full, making you more likely to store more fat from your food. But carbs do have their place in the diet, particularly when it comes to exercising at a higher intensity and getting adequate nutrition by eating from a wider spectrum.
The key thing to focus on here is portion control and balance alongside quality protein and fats in the diet, this way you will be taking a healthy and balanced approach to nutrition which is easier to stick to in the long run. Be sure to fill up on the lower starch veggies like broccoli rather than the potatoes or fruit to avoid gaining weight and staying on track.
#3 IT’S SIMPLY ABOUT THE CALORIES…
This one always get’s me fired up because it just doesn’t work that way, we are not machines that treat all energy the same! Different food and even food combinations will have a very different effect on digestion, blood sugars, energy and weight gain/loss, it’s just the way that it is. The very fact that if you swapped all of your calories for protein (not that I recommend it for other reasons) and even ate over your daily quota, you would still lose weight! How does that work?
Protein is far more metabolic than carbs or fats, therefor more energy is expended through digestion so it’s important to look at sources of calories and not the calories themselves, I only recommend calorie counting for people who are on the leaner side as 99% of people who are overweight can easily lose fat simply by cleaning up their act, without the tedious task of calorie counting.
#4 FRUIT IS A HEALTHY SNACK AFTER A MEAL
Fruit is very much akin to candy bars except it’s natural and more nutritious of course, but the fact remains that it’s till sugar laden which is one of the worst things to eat after a meal. Most food, even healthy slow release carbohydrates are going to impact blood sugars, the cumulative effect of having some fruit post meal can lead to very high blood sugar levels which will lead to more fat storing hormone being released, namely insulin.
This is especially the case with fruit juices which are the ‘devils juice’ when it comes to weight loss, if one piece of fruit can hit your blood sugars then imagine 10! Also, juice will lack other important ingredients such as fibre, which aids with healthy digestion.
#5 THAT SKIPPING MEALS WILL MAKE YOU SLIMMER
Now intermittent fasting can be beneficial, but it can also back fire in a big way so you need to be careful. Eating regular meals is the key to keeping a high metabolic rate and burning fat more easily. A lack of food can signal the body to slow down the metabolism plus you are far more likely to overeat at the next one after the famine phase is over. I see many people eat late at night and wake up not feeling hungry, skipping breakfast and then finding themselves over hungry later in the day.
Focus on the bulk of your calories during the day and lighten the load towards the end, that way you body is primed for fat burning during sleep when testosterone peaks.