6 Diet Myths You Should Stop Believing
Are you guilty of believing any of these diet myths? If so, it could be holding you back from seeing the weight loss you desire. By busting these common myths, you can get yourself on track to being healthier and fitter.
Here are six diet myths you should stop believing...
1. Counting Every Calorie is the Ideal Way to Lose Weight
If you’ve ever gone on a diet, there’s a good chance you spent a lot of time counting calories and obsessing over every last thing you ate. While this is pretty standard practice for many who are dieting, it’s not necessarily the most effective tactic.
Instead of restricting yourself, focus more on eating the healthy foods that provide your body with the nutrients it needs. We need protein, carbohydrates, and a variety of vitamins and minerals to function at our best. The calories you consume when eating fruits and veggies far outweighs the calories from cookies and cake, so it’s more important that you make smart choices with your foods instead of limiting yourself, especially when you’re hungry.
Now, don’t be mistaken. Calories are still important when it comes to maintaining your weight or shedding a few pounds. It’s just not the only thing you need to focus on. Having a balanced diet is! So, don’t stress yourself out over calories so much that it takes over your life.
2. Low-Fat Foods Will Help You Lose Weight Faster
Many people mistakenly believe that eating low-fat foods will help shed the pounds even faster. However, that isn’t necessarily true. An eight-year study followed the eating habits of almost 50,000 women. Some were put on a low-fat diet, while the others were not. The women on the low-fat plan didn’t lose much weight, if any at all.
Instead of buying everything labeled "low-fat", focus more on eating healthy fats. These are much better for you when consumed in moderation. Foods with healthy fats include avocados, fish, and nuts. Make sure you incorporate them into your diet.
3. Eating Just Egg Whites is Healthier Than Having the Whole Egg
For some time now, we’ve been told that eating just the egg white was the better option for you. However, it turns out this may not actually be the case. People were steering clear of the yolks because of their high cholesterol content, however it’s not dietary cholesterol that’s making our levels skyrocket. Instead, it’s mostly trans fat and added sugars that are having the negative impact on our bodies.
Unless you’ve been instructed otherwise by your doctor, you’re fine to eat the entire egg, yolk and all. They’re packed with the vitamins and minerals we need, plus they have plenty of vitamin D and protein.
4. Eating Dessert Will Ruin Your Diet
Have you ever been on a diet and given in to eating a piece of cake, then felt bad about it afterwards? If so, you certainly aren’t alone. But here’s the thing, you really shouldn’t beat yourself up over it. There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself from time to time.
You can absolutely enjoy your favorite dessert, but you need to do so in moderation. Plus, if you deny yourself of your favorite treats, those cravings are only going to get stronger and there’s a good chance you’ll wind up overeating. Instead of restricting yourself, be smart about those “cheat foods” you allow yourself to have and only eat them every once in a while.
5. Doing a Cleanse or Detox Can Jumpstart Your Diet
Many people decide to start off their diet with a cleanse or a detox. In most cases, this includes some sort of juice that’s loaded with fruits and veggies. While there’s typically nothing wrong with these juices, as long as they’re not loaded with sugar, it’s not really necessary.
Your see, our bodies have their own built-in detox process going on all the time. Our kidneys help to remove any excess waste, while our livers process medications and chemicals. Since we can naturally detox ourselves, doing a juice cleanse isn’t essential to any diet.
6. What Works For One Person Will Work For Me
There are so many diets out there and there are claims that each one is amazing and guarantees weight loss. But here’s the thing, what works for someone else might not necessarily work for you. All of our bodies are different, so there’s not one “best diet” out there for you to try.
It’s important to consider which diet is something you can really stick to. Think about your food preferences and how your eating habits will need to change. Which one is something you will be able to follow-through with for an extended period of time?
Even when you’ve decided on one, if you’ve been at it for a couple of weeks and you’re not feeling your best, change it up. Don’t be afraid to try different diets to find the one that’s right for you and your body. It could even be worthwhile to consult with a nutritionist for advice.