So much of weight loss information is available nowadays that it becomes difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. Few common myths that are quite prevalent are explained below.
1. Eliminate fat content form your diet
For losing weight people believe that the fat should be completely cut down from the diet. Now this is a myth that needs to be broken as fat is an essential part of every diet and it should constitute roughly 30% of a person’s daily calorie intake.
That does not mean you take high cholesterol food that is high on saturated fats. To make weight-loss a success give your body regular dose of unsaturated fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that also include omega 3 fatty acids.
Even if you have to consume meat and dairy products take them in moderate quantity and try to avoid the trans-fats .
Many functions in our human body cannot be performed with the absence of fats as every cell membrane in human body consists of them.
They are essential for performing many roles in the body as well as they are required for absorbing vitamins like A, D, E, K.
Mediterranean diet, which is well known for its health properties and is a perfect example to quote here. In their diet the fat is about 25%-35% of their calorie intake, only 8% saturated fats which comes from dairy products and meat while the rest comes from olive oil or other plants.
2. Chop off the carbohydrate content from your diet
This is yet again a myth because the carbohydrates provide a defense mechanism in our body. They are quite essential as they serve crucial functions in our human body.
Apart from that, our body’s principal energy is also derived from them and they are the only source of energy for many cells like neurones and red blood cells. But that does not mean that carbohydrates should be over consumed as it can lead to transformation of fat.
That’s the reason an adult’s plate should have whole grains or starchy vegetables only 20% of the diet and the rest 80% should be proteins, vegetables, fruits, and fats.
The type of carbohydrates chosen are most important of all. Opt for complex carbohydrates such as whole grains instead of white carbohydrates like rice, bread,etc.
3. Substitute sugar with other similar variants like artificial sweetening agents
Most of the people think that sugar makes you gain weight therefore they use sweetener in their coffee and munch on sugar-free biscuits.
But there is not much research on how safe these artificial sweeteners are. Artificial sweetners contain aspartame and saccharine which are very addictive, and can create havoc in our blood sugar, dropping in the energy levels which causes crave for food. Diet drinks can also been linked to obesity and sometimes overeating.
4. Lesser amount of eating can be a boon
Reality is that if we control our snacks and their portions then we can head towards a healthy weight loss thereby maintaining a proper body weight.
The best way to limit our diet portions in daily consumption is to see them on a pie chart. Nutritionists say that on an average,60% of your plate should comprise of vegetables and fruits whereas 20% should be carbohydrates; and the remaining 20% should be protein content. This can be modified depending on your age, the season, your activity level and other factors.