Nowadays, everyone has an opinion on how to lead a healthier lifestyle and live longer by doing so. It’s came to the point now that many people are unsure which facts are true and which are gibberish; such nonsense can cause devastating effects on a person’s life. The tabloids, magazines, and even hard-hitting newspapers are all the same; they’re reporting on which foods are best for you; which give your unsightly cellulite; whether steak gives you cancer; and if a glass of red wine a day can add a couple of years to your life. While there are, of course, obvious truths (yes, eating a cupcake a day is going to add a few pounds), other “truths” are complete lies. Here are the most heard of myths debunked.
Detox Diets Can Cleanse the Body
Detox diets may as well be called crash diets. Although you may find some weight loss in the early stages, over time your body will become undernourished and deprived of essential calories. In the end, many people can actually gain weight. This is because when a person’s body is deprived of essential foods, it can latch onto food once it’s reintroduced in the diet because the body prepares for another period of ‘starvation.’
Instead, you should consult a dietician and create a proper diet you can stick to, while enriching your body with needed nutrients. To lose weight, you also need to exercise steadily.
You Need to Burn More Calories Than Your Eat
Of course, calories in vs. calories out is the simple equation to weight loss; however, it’s much more complicated than that. To live longer and lose weight, you do need to eat less, but you also need to eat the right foods. There’s no point cutting down on calories only to then eat processed foods which are high in saturated fats and sugars. You won’t be healthy. Also, everyone has an individual metabolism: we all burn our calories differently. If your resting rate is of 1,800 calories, then you need to eat more than someone who only burns of 1,000 calories a day. The latter will also need to work harder at the gym.
Go to a professional and have your height, weight and resting metabolism rate measured. Tailor a work out plan that suits your wants (do you want to lose weight, or do you want to tone up?), and stick to a healthy nutritional diet.
Carbs Make You Fat
We’ve all heard this myth, and many of us believe it’s 100% true. Cut out carbs and you’ll lose weight; that means no bread, pasta or brown rice. However, a low-carb diet can actually aid with weight loss. In fact, the obesity epidemic only started around the 1980s, and we’ve all been eating carbs long before then. It’s all about balance.
Refined carbs, such as refined grains and sugars, are the troublesome carbs. Although these can be a once-in-a-blue-moon snack, make sure you avoid as much refined carbs as possible. Instead of white or brown bread, look out for breads which use whole-wheat flour. Stay clear from wheat flour or enriched bleached flour.
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