Should I stop eating fat? What time should I have my carbs? We break down the misconceptions of getting lean and most common weight loss myths
‘Eating fruit is healthy’, is one of the common misconceptions about a diet. The nature of fruits is such that we feel, because they contain antioxidants, minerals and vitamins; they are beneficial for weight loss. What many people fail to understand is that most fruit contains fructose, which like glucose, is a sugar. What you must understand is that any type of sugar will drive your insulin up, thus effectively shutting down the fat burning in your body and thus increase the storage of fat. For effective weight loss, keep your fruit to minimal levels.
Salt has and will be unfairly demonized always. What’s important to understand here is that the sodium is the culprit. Salt has numerous benefits and is essential for your body to be healthy. Unless you are an aspiring bodybuilder who needs to dry out for a show I would not recommend you focus on your salt intake. A common fat loss myth is that sodium does not help lose weight. That is not true. While sodium can retain water, you would not need to focus on it until you are getting your macronutrients perfectly. Disregard this as one of the common diet myths.
A good diet means you are sufficiently having balanced amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fats
‘Eating fat will make you fat’ is something that is commonly heard in households of old. Entirely untrue. Good fats are in fact helpful to reduce your overall body fat percentage. When looking to lose weight one must understand the specific roles hormones like testosterone and growth hormone play. Both these anabolic compounds help initiate fat loss and are only heightened when there is sufficient fat intake. This is why low fat diets aren’t advisable since they can mess with your hormonal balances. Go for healthy options like omega-3’s and fish oil. This is precisely why the keto diet is so popular. Trust me. Eating fat is actually the best fat loss strategy.
It’s also worth noting that low fat doesn’t necessarily mean low calories. Your usual salad dressings and sauces that say low fat are in fact high in sugar. It’s better to go for the normal ‘more fat’ version and just restrict the amount you have.
Let’s think about this. Eggs are a staple food that are low in calories and high in protein and fat. Why wouldn’t you consume it? A common diet mistake is disregarding eggs because they will increase your cholesterol. If it’s good cholesterol and reduction of LDL, then cholesterol should be increased. You just need to know which kind. Egg’s are not only of a high biological value (BV) but are also a staple in every weight loss diet since they help you get in good calories, while maintaining a healthy balance of protein. It’s suggested that you intake 4-5 whole eggs in a day, as per your macronutrients. Remember the old ads that said you should have eggs everyday? Yep, they were right!
This is probably a statement that deserves to be in the myths of fat burning hall of fame. Carbohydrates like protein and fats is a macronutrient that you need to consume. In terms of preferences, our body actually prefers to use carbohydrates as a source of energy since carbohydrates can be converted into blood sugar. Rather than eliminating them completely and experiencing mood swings, drowsiness, etc; I would recommend to strategically align your carbohydrate amount to your workouts. Consumption of carbs should be majorly after your workouts as post workout foods. This includes the famous myths like rice and potatoes.
Eating carbohydrates at night will not make you gain weight if your total caloric output is less than the calories you need to maintain your weight
Outside food can be of a wide variety. It could mean a double cheese pizza or it could mean a bowl of chicken, beans and rice. You decide which one you want to have. A common weight loss tip while eating out, is to research on the restaurant you are dining at and thus adjust your macros sufficiently. Subway is always a great option to go to, provided you stay away from those sauces as those are some of the worst foods for weight loss and thus a weight loss myth. Hence going out should not be blocked entirely while trying to lose fat and/or weight. Instead work smarter instead of harder.
Even though I have been preaching counting your calories since forever, one must understand that all calories weren’t created equally. A common weight loss diet mistake is that we indulge in alcohol saying that there are no calories. Alcohol might have negligible calories, not beer, but it leads to behavior that involves excessive binging. Plus alcohol and muscle building are not harmonious activities. All calories like people aren’t created equally.
Think about this. 500 grams of sweet potato is 430 calories whereas one pizza hut pepperoni slice is 320 calories. Less is better right? No! Those 320 calories are consisted of trans fat, monounsaturated fats and white flour. Basically everything you shouldn’t have. Instead, the 430 calories you get from sweet potato are low glycemic carbs, a fantastic pre-workout food. Avoid these common weight loss mistakes and be smarter about the kind of calories you consume.
