4 Dieting Myths Busted

If you are trying to achieve or maintain your ideal weight, you might fall victim to some of the many dieting myths that are rampant in mainstream media. Today, let’s look at and bust 4 of the most common dieting myths together.

1. Carbs are fattening – Not at all, if you eat the right types and amounts of carbohydrates. Carbs include all vegetables, fruits, grain, beans and legumes (which also have protein but are high in starchy carbs and fiber), and of course processed foods derived from these natural forms of carbs (this is where most of us get into imbalance quite quickly). In their natural form, carbohydrate foods are a source of energy, minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and manganese, and B vitamins. Carbs also contain fiber which supports digestion, diversity of your gut microbes, and helps you feel fuller for longer. So carbs aren’t inherently fattening and supply a lot of health building elements. However, carbs can be unhealthy if you rely primarily on processed versions of the whole foods (aka pasta, bread, cereal, pastries, etc) that are pretty much only supplying starch, a little fiber and a sliver of nutrients. Carbs are also fattening if they lead to overeating. Overeating anything is going to lead to increased fat tissue! But certain foods are much easier to overeat than others, certain combos of food are easier to overeat (high starch + high fat, for example), and certain metabolisms respond to higher carb consumption by craving more and more carbs or more food in general…which of course will lead to extra body fat. So, these are the real reasons why being mindful of the types and quantities of carbs, rather than vilifying ALL carbs, will help you to achieve or maintain your ideal weight.
2. Skipping meals helps – Skipping meals is not something I recommend as a general rule. Not eating when you aren’t hungry, however is. We live in a very food-focused society. We encourage snacking between meals and high-calorie drinks…our bodies are overloaded! Rather than skipping meals to speed up weight loss (which is not sustainable over time and your metabolism will slow down to counteract this if you aren’t taking in enough nutrients or calories), focus your efforts on eating high-quality, nutrient-dense meals with protein, fiber and produce (chicken with broccoli, salmon and asparagus, tofu and veggie stir fry) that will satisfy your appetite so you don’t reach for more calories from foods or drinks throughout the day–this will help you build gut health, support a healthy weight, and a healthy metabolism. 
3. Low-fat foods are healthy – Because the label says it’s low fat doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Definitely read the nutritional facts of any product because sometimes, the fats in low-fat foods are replaced with more sugar or salt to help preserve the original flavor of the product and are NOT healthy. Fats are incredibly important for your hormone production, sleep, sex drive, cholesterol balance, absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K…and fats help you feel satisfied from your meal. As I mentioned earlier, high fat combined with high starch is a brutal combo that tricks your brain into wanting to eat a lot more than is healthy…but skimping on healthy fats like nuts, avocados, coconut, olives, eggs, organic butter, fish and pastured animal protein…that’s not something I advise. These foods have a lot of health benefits and going too low-fat will lead to health problems for most people.
4. Intense exercise is the only way to lose weight – Intense or vigorous exercise is not the only way but a way to support weight loss if combined with proper calorie intake. Also, vigorous exercises are not for everyone, especially if you have certain medical conditions (high blood pressure, COPD, certain types of arthritis or chronic fatigue, for example). You may opt for moderate exercises instead, such as walking, biking, dancing, and strength training.

I hope that this newsletter was helpful to you! It is my passion to work with people like you whose health symptoms are getting in the way of you living life fully and with a sense of freedom in your body. I can help you to regain your health so you can feel great and free to enjoy life fully. 

If you’re ready to discover where your best health has been hiding, I’d love to connect with you!

Apply for a complimentary Unstoppable Health Discovery Session. bit.ly/schedulinghealth (subject to availability).

Until next time, I’m wishing you unstoppable health!
~Rebecca