Fitness and weight loss fads have always blamed one or other food group for being the villain and have advised that entire food groups be cut out of a person’s diet in order to achieve weight loss.
But nutritionists tell us that a balanced diet is necessary for good health and even effective weight loss. Fad diets can actually result in nutritional deficiencies that can result in all sorts of health issues.
Here are some dieting myths busted – don’t buy into these dieting myths:
Carbs are responsible for weight gain and insulin resistance:
It is a myth that carbohydrates are what are responsible for weight gain. Rather it is the total number of excess calories consumed that will cause you to put on weight.
Cutting out carbs or having very few of them is not healthy – it may mean that the body ends up getting too little fiber, calcium and certain plant chemicals as well.
A high protein diet along with nutritional supplements is recommended by some diets but even that is not a good substitute for a well balanced one which includes natural nutrients present in food.
Dairy Causes weight gain:
In fact some studies have shown that the opposite is true; that drinking skimmed milk and low fat dairy products actually help one lose excess weight.
Linoleic acid in milk actually helps you lose fat and helps preserve lean muscle mass. Also milk can suppress appetite and will make you less likely to indulge in overeating.
Milk is an excellent source for a number of vital nutrients, calcium and an important source of protein. Also milk contains nutrients in forms that the body finds easier to absorb.
Don’t mix carbs and proteins in one meal:
This is a trick to make the food boring and monotonous so that you eat less. In reality a more varied diet that includes complex carbs is needed for the body to function properly and maintain and repair tissue
Eat dinner before 7 PM:
This is OK if you go to sleep on the stroke of 10 PM each night. It is not 7 o’clock in the evening that is important – rather it is important for one to eat dinner about three hours before going to bed. This is done to give time for the body to digest the meal.
However many of our lifestyles are such that it is not possible to eat dinner and then give ourselves three hours before going to bed.
In this case, it is more important to eat a light, healthy dinner – this is more important than the three hour deadline.
