Top 6 Diet Myths Exposed

Mix Wellness Solutions For A Balanced Life does a sensational job of exposing the Top 6 Diet Myths.  Read more about the 6 myths  below or click here for the full article.

In our ongoing quest to become uber healthy and lean, sexy beasts {let’s be honest}, we’re inundated with information to make this vision a reality.

And with the good old world wide web at our fingertips, even more apt to fall prey to the magic bullets that promise you’ll lose a dress size in 7 days without changing a damn thing.

Magic potions aside, there are quite of a few diet myths still floating around when it comes to long-term weight loss and everlasting health and vitality. That’s what I’m here for.

Let’s talk about those diet myths, shall we? 

Disclaimer: What you’re about to read **might** turn your world completely upside down and subsequently cause your head to explode {in the best way possible, of course}.

Diet Myth #1: Fat makes you fat

This was the pinnacle of the 80′s and 90′s, when low fat, fat free, and completely tasteless food became mainstream. Fat was replaced with chemicals, sugar, and salt, and look where that got us. Eating way too much nutrient-poor, calorie-dense food because we were never satisfied.

Here’s the science behind it: Fat is satiating, meaning it fills you up and leaves you feeling satisfied. This is the feeling that allows you to skip dessert or that extra helping of Mom’s lasagna. When you eat fats as part of your meal, they actually slow down your food absorption so that you can go longer without feeling hungry. The fatty acid conjugated linoleic acid {CLA}, found in grass-fed beef and raw, full-fat dairy products from grass-fed cows {butter, milk, cheese, etc.}, is also associated with reduced body fat and weight. {source}

 Diet Myth #2: Calorie counting works

One of the longest standing adages of dieting is that “a calorie is a calorie” and the less we consume {and the more we expend}, the greater our weight loss. Right? Wrong.

Calories work differently in the body depending on what type of food they come from. Foods rich in protein like chicken, eggs, or beans, as well as those high in fiber, use a crap-ton of energy to digest {and chew}, whereas highly processed or sugary foods barely tax the system at all – meaning, your body isn’t expending any energy {or burning calories} to digest them.

If you are only concerned with calorie-counting, it won’t tell you anything about the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients you’re getting {or lacking} in your diet.  It’s about quality, not quantity.

I talk about this urban myth in greater detail here.

Not to mention, counting calories is THEEE BIGGEST pain in the ass and kind of stressful, no? Last week I talked about how stress makes us fat. If you missed it, read that rant here and mosey on back. I’ll be waiting.

 Diet Myth #3: The number on the scale is the holy grail

Can The Scale Lie?

Abso-freaking-lutely! The scale is a very skewed measurement  of health and body composition. Case in point, when dieters begin the latest and greatest adventures in dieting, they typically see rapid weight loss in the first few days. Don’t get me wrong, this is fantastic for the ego and to keep them keepin‘ on, but rarely is it from fat loss, rather reduced water retention or a few great poops {yes, I just went there}.

What SHOULD be measured? 

Body composition, that’s what. This is the amount of fat to muscle we have in our body, or better, how we look naked. When I begin working with clients, I have them take simple measurements of themselves in inches {waist, thighs, booty, arms} as well as the scale {just for the hell of it}. Over the course of our time together, I have them revisit their measurements to track their progress. Another less scientific litmus test is how their clothes are fitting. Looser? Righty-o! There are times when the scale isn’t budging but their drawers keep dropping. This is classic “scale failure”.

 Diet Myth #4: If I eliminate gluten, I’ll lose weight

While indeed eliminating gluten can result weight loss, if you just blindly start eating exclusively gluten-free, and pay no attention to reading your labels or worse, make the classic assumption that gluten-free = healthy in the world of processed foods, you’re in for a rude awakening.

Junk food is junk food, period, whether it’s certified gluten-free or not. Snacking on gluten-free cookies and dining on gluten-free pizza will seriously stall fat loss.

The key is to eliminate gluten, using a balanced, nutrient-dense, whole-foods approach. Think you might have an intolerance to gluten? Read this to find out.

Diet Myth #5: If I workout, I can eat whatever I want, whenever I want

It’s a common misconception that putting in the hours at the gym entitles you to eat whatever you want. Sure, it sounds like a perfect strategy to have your cake and {literally} eat it too, but the harsh reality is that you can easily out-eat your exercise efforts. Don’t get me wrong, the occasional indulgence is fine – we are human, after all. It’s critical to exercise regularly and eat a diet filled with whole, fresh, unprocessed foods for successful long-term weight-loss, and {more importantly} good health.

Diet Myth #6: Saturated fat will raise my cholesterol and give me heart disease

If you’re a child of the 80′s, like yours truly, you likely grew up with the notion that food high in saturated fat like bacon, eggs, and butter were the enemy and a surefire recipe for high cholesterol and heart disease. The reality? It’s just not true.

Top 6 Diet Myths Exposed!

Credits: Mix Wellness