Diet myths : what are they and why they may not be true

You must have heard of lots of myths and rumours surrounding dieting. Things like : ban sugar completely from your diet, don't touch fat and alcohol ever again. Are these hearsays true? Most of them are not true and you got to use a little bit of judgement before embracing them. Read this article for some hints.  

The idea behind any diet plan is basically one controlling the intake of calories since your body only needs so much calories to function properly. But if you over do things and exclude all "sinful" but tasty food, then it is going to backfire on you. You will surely not be able to contain the urge to binge later on, thus defeating the purpose of a diet in the first place. The key is to have a well balanced diet that is not only nutritionally sound but tasty as well.

You should also not put too much faith into meal replacements, such as Mypoplex, Slimfast or Eat-Smart. These combinations of low-fat and high-protein substances certainly cannot replace a proper diet. You should never use them for more than 4 four weeks in a row.

It is a fact that calories are crucial to the proper functioning of the human body and you cannot go on for long periods without them. You will be making a big mistake if you cut out calories for the long-term because your internal organs and muscles need them to function. If you use meal replacements (such as the above) for a week or two, it is ok. But using them for the long term is courting trouble. And the same goes for single-food diets, such as the cabbage soup diet, because they are based on the same idea.

Another well-known myth is that the best approach to weight loss is a low-carb, high-protein diet. This one emerged from the Hollywood slimming industry. Nearly all Hollywood stars and singers are on some such diet. But this approach can be bad for you because a diet low in carbohydrates and calories forces the body to use existing carbs located in the liver and the muscles. Eventually, this diet leads to weight loss mainly from water stored in the body, not fat. Besides it strains the internal organs.

You should not be so afraid of potatoes, bread and pasta, the leading sources of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are actually good for you because they quell the feeling of hunger without bringing in too many calories. You can safely eat moderate amounts of potatoes and bread as long as you don't use butter or sauces, which are fat laden. And you also have to pay attention to how these foods are prepared. French fries are not a low-fat food. Still, a high-carb, low-fat diet is far better than banning potatoes and bread from your daily meals and it’s also easier to stick to.

You should be drinking lots of water daily as it keeps the body hydrated and fills the stomach. Water also keeps the intestines healthy by facilitating the movements of undigested food to the exit point. But simply drinking water does not result in weight loss. There is only one way to lose weight and that is to burn up the existing fat and water cannot do that. Be careful not to judge a diet solely by how much weight is lost per week. Some people claim that a diet can be considered effective if the weekly loss of weight is above two pounds. Surely two pounds per week is a lot of weight to lose and not all of it is fat, but also the lean tissue that makes up the muscles.

Yet another myth claims that fat is very bad for you. It’s not. In fact, your body needs some fat in order to get the important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K circulating through the cardiovascular system. Additionally, fat also brings into the body the essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 that cannot be synthesized in the body. The word “essential” means that these fatty acids simply have to be present in your daily food since they play an important role in your health. Note that the recommended dose of fat is 35 percent of your daily calories.

Finally the idea that a diet or eating plan is enough in itself and does not have to be coupled with exercising is plain dumb. Exercising is the most effective way of burning up the extra calories stored as fat. Simply sitting at your desk all day long is not going to help you lose weight, regardless of what diet you’re on. Remember that a diet that has plenty of (the right kind of) food and plenty of exercise is far better than sitting on the sofa and drinking cabbage soup every six hours. It works faster and is less stressful to your body. And yes, exercise tend to relax your body and make you feel good too.

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