Did you know that 52% of adults around the world are trying to lose weight?
From achieving your dream body to boosting your energy and beyond, you need to pay attention to your nutrition if you want to be happy and healthy. Although this task seems simple, the reality is that lots of people struggle with their nutrition because there’s so much misinformation out there.
Have you ever wondered if you’re making the best decisions for your wellness? Read on if you’d like to dive into seven of the most common nutrition myths that are spread around today.
1. You Need a Large Calorie Deficit to Lose Weight
Many fad diets that have been promoted throughout the decades have encouraged people to enter starvation mode by consuming 1,200 calories or less. Some people could reach 1,200 calories by eating one meal at a restaurant, which means that these expectations set people up for disappointment. In addition, long-term calorie restriction will slow your metabolism down, which makes it harder to maintain your ideal weight.
Although it’s hard to be patient, good things take time and weight loss is no different. Shaving off 100 or 200 calories a day won’t make you feel like you’re depriving yourself and you’ll still be able to meet all of your nutritional needs.
2. Dieting Means Nothing Without Exercise
Lots of people are surprised to hear that dieting makes up the bulk of everyone’s weight loss achievements. The reason why this occurs is that it’s much easier to abstain from grabbing another bread roll at dinner than it is to exercise for an hour to balance out those calories. If you’re someone who hates exercise, then you’ll be relieved to know that you can still lose weight without spending your days in the gym.
However, it’s still important for your overall wellness to find physical activities that you like. Not only will going on a walk or doing some yoga boost your physical and mental health, but you can also tone up your muscles. Exercise shouldn’t be the main focus of your wellness journey, but you shouldn’t maintain a sedentary lifestyle.
3. Calories Are the Only Thing That Matters
If you’re among the majority of people who would like to lose weight, then you’ve probably come across the phrase “calories in, calories out” often. It’s true that being mindful of your calorie intake can help you achieve your weight loss goals, but the quality of your calories matters more than the quantity arguably. A simple fact that demonstrates this is that you could lose weight by only eating cookies in theory, but you’d feel terrible because you’re not giving your body the nutrients it needs.
Eating whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can keep your calorie count low while still helping you feel full and energetic thanks to the fiber and vitamins.
4. Healthy Eating Has to Be Expensive
Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow have raised a lot of eyebrows because of how expensive their wellness routines are. Even everyday people believe that all of their food needs to be organic and contain exotic spices to burn fat. If you’re on a tighter budget, you can still prepare all kinds of nutritious meals with the help of ChiroThin that will please your palate and your stomach.
There’s no denying that finding fresh fruits and vegetables at a fair price can be a challenge, so you can save a fortune by buying frozen produce instead. You can avoid throwing out spoiled produce and enjoy more nutrients since fruits and vegetables are frozen at their peak. Other healthy staples like brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, and beans cost less than a dollar per serving.
5. You Need to Avoid Carbs or Fat
Our bodies need a balance of carbs, protein, and fat to function well. Denying yourself an entire macronutrient will spell out big trouble for your health in the long run. Instead of eliminating entire food groups from your diet, you should focus on choosing the most nutrient-dense options.
White rice certainly isn’t a “bad” food, but you can get more bang for your buck when you eat brown rice instead. If you’re worried about fat, try to reduce your intake of fried foods and top your dishes with wholesome avocado.
6. You Should Eat Lots of Small Meals or Fast
Some of the most common nutrition tips people give are to either eat constantly throughout the day or fast and eat one big meal a day. The truth is that we all have unique hormones that dictate when we get hungry. Trying to stick to a trend that goes against your biology will make you miserable.
If you’re the type of person who never feels hungry in the morning, then don’t force yourself to eat breakfast because you heard it was the most important meal of the day. Try to stay in tune with your hunger cues and stop eating when you’re comfortably full.
7. Your Body Needs to Detox on a Regular Basis
Another nutrition myth that can lead to dangerous eating habits is the idea that you need to help your body detox. As long as you have a functioning liver, your body knows how to remove waste without you needing to think about it.
Doing smoothie cleanses or other fad diets will upset your bowel movements and make you irritable. Just continue to focus on eating nutrient-dense foods.
Did You Believe Any of These Common Nutrition Myths?
There are tons of popular nutrition myths out there, so you shouldn’t feel bad about falling for them. Now that you’ve read this nutrition guide, you can equip yourself with the knowledge and tools you need to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
Are you ready to get started on the path to a healthier you? Click here to find a ChiroThin doctor in your area.