Diet Myths: True Or False?

We have all heard the myths hearsay and sound-bites from the dieting world over and over again. Does this mean that there is any truth in them? Is it really the way to go cutting out fat from your diet or banning sugar or even to stop consuming alcohol? It seems to me an invitation to fall flat on your face. Some people really do have the willpower to cut out some foods and stick to it, hats off to them. Alas, some of us like myself need a treat every now and then. Nothing wrong with that, as long as the treats are kept to a minimum.

The basic idea of any diet is to eat food that contains fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight. To be on a successful diet you need to eat food that has less calories than what your body needs to keep at its current weight. By doing this your body will use the fat it has accumulated to make up the necessary energy it is not getting from food. One thing a diet needs to be is, interesting and tasty and also to have all he correct nutrients. Cutting out some types of foods will not help maintain the diet. As sooner or later the cravings will kick back in and before you know it you will be back into the old habits.
A trend has also started with the meal replacements diets. For example the liquid diets such as Slimfast or Eat-Smart. These sorts of diets should never be used for more than 4 weeks. The combination of high-protein and low-fat will not be a substitution for a proper balanced meal. Do not make the mistake of cutting out calories on a long-term basis this could have health implications as your internal organs and muscles need them in order to work properly. Using them for a week or two won’t do you any harm but using them for any longer and your could well damage your health.

The myth of the low-carbohydrate, high-protein weight loss diet. Which emerged from the very large Hollywood slimming industry. So many of the movie stars and singers are on one sort of diet or another. A diet that is low in carbohydrates and calories will cause weight loss mainly from water stored in the body instead of the fat and can also cause strain to the internal organs.
How sad that we are being told to cut out our favourite foods such as the good old potato, crusty loaf of bread and a bowl of pasta which are all high in carbohydrates from our diet. The reality is that we can still eat these safely in moderation. All we have to do is leave out the butter or sauces that are high in fat. Also we need to pay attention to how our food is prepared grilling food rather than frying means we can eat the foods we like whilst not over doing the fat intake
We are told to drink a least 2 litres of water a day to keep our body hydrated and to fill our stomach. Drinking water will not trigger weight loss the only way to lose weight is by burning up existing fat and no amount of water will do that. What water will do is keep your intestines healthy by helping movements of your undigested food to the rear end. An effective diet will be classed by some people as weighing in two pounds less per week In reality two pounds is a lot to lose, as some of that two pounds will be lean tissue that makes up your muscles.

The fat is bad for you myth. Well fat is not bad for you as your body needs fat so it can get important vitamins A, D, E and K and circulate them through your cardiovascular system. Omega 3 and 6 are also brought into the body by fat. It is recommended that 35% of your daily calories are fat. To keep that healthy balance fatty acids need to be present in your daily food.
The final myth is that you don’t need to exercise while following an eating plan. Not true at all exercising while on a diet makes weight loss quicker and less stressful to your body. Sitting around while following any sort of diet is not the answer, not only will you not keep to your ideal weight but you may also cause yourself long-term health problems.