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Diet Myths
There is a lot of misinformation out there when it
comes to diet and weight loss. Let's take a look at some of these
diet myths.
Four Myths About Diet That You
Should Pay No Attention To
Nowhere are there more fad diets, weight loss
schemes and wild, completely unsubstantiated weight loss advice
circulating than in the USA. With so much conflicting "information"
out there, it's no wonder people don't know where to turn to lose
weight properly and in a healthy way. The fact is many people assume
they are eating healthy although it's closer to the truth that many
of them don't even come close to eating a balanced, nutritious diet.
The reason for this is mostly due to the fact that they are guiding
themselves with false information propagated by fad diets put out
there by weight loss companies. Most of these diets are leading
people to believe that cutting out certain nutrients is what it
takes to properly loose weight. Nothing can be further from the
truth. Here are four common myths which lead many dieters to take
the wrong road to try to find their weight loss salvation.
MYTH # 1) YOU HAVE TO STARVE YOURSELF TO LOOSE WEIGHT
This is probably the most commonly heard and longest running myth
about weight loss out there. The fact is, if you don't eat enough,
your metabolism will slow down greatly making your body want to
store fat thus making most of your initial weight loss come from
water and muscle. This makes your body-fat percentage go up, meaning
you are losing weight, but you are actually getting fatter!
The average woman should not eat less than 1000 calories per day and
the average man should not eat less than 1200 calories per day
unless under the direction of a physician. If you eat 5-6 smaller
meals a day verses 3 bigger ones within a proper calorie range, you
will never feel hungry and you will lose weight while staying
healthy.
MYTH # 2) EAT NO FAT WHATSOEVER
This is another myth that has been around for a long time. It
probably comes from the fact you do need to limit your fat intake to
around 15% to 20% of your overall daily calorie intake. "If eating
only a little is good, then eating none must be better", but the
fact is, your body does need that 15% to 20% of fat in your diet
because fat helps lubricate your joints, keeps your skin smooth and
elastic, provides a source of energy, helps your nervous system to
function properly and provides insulation from cold weather. Olive,
flaxseed and fish oils are good sources of fats. Avoid saturated
fats and hydrogenated (trans) fats.
MYTH # 3) YOU SHOULD NOT EAT FROM CERTAIN FOOD GROUPS
A lot of fad diets adhere to cutting out one food group or another.
The Atkins diet, which sparked a whole host of copycat diets, placed
an emphasis on eliminating carbohydrates for example. The fact is
your body needs a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat to
function properly and so none of them should be eliminated from your
diet. Water, vitamins, minerals and fiber are also needed and should
be a part of your regular daily intake. The key is to try to keep
the carbs, proteins and fats in the proper range at approximately
60% for carbs, 25% for proteins and 15% for fats.
MYTH # 4) TO GET ENOUGH PROTEIN, YOU HAVE TO EAT MEAT
While it is true that meat is a great source of protein, it is
certainly not the only one. Meat can also be high in fat and sodium.
Dairy products are usually high in fat, but now there are plenty of
low-fat and fat-free dairy products to choose from and they do not
compromise the protein value. Egg whites are also a prime source of
protein. These are all sources of complete proteins. Various
vegetables and legumes also
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