4 Weight loss myths, Part I.
Between the rise in obesity and the media focus on thinness, more people each day are trying to figure out how to lose weight. Information on diets, nutrition and weight loss can be found everywhere from the magazines at the news stand to what seems like every other website online. The problem with this glut of information is that it's not all accurate and it can be difficult for the average person to know what is the truth and what is not. Many myths are being touted as fact and can lead to a person being more unhealthy than when they started their weight loss journey.
Myth 1 : dairy products are all bad
One story that has been going around for years is that dairy products are all bad and will not only make you fat but could cause heart disease.
This is not only not true but dairy products are one of the basic five necessary food groups that you should be consuming at least two servings of every day.
Dairy products provide calcium, protein and vitamin D as well as other nutrients that help build or maintain strong, healthy bones among other things.
It is true that dairy products tend to be higher in fat than some other food choices that you can make but there are options for those who want the nutritional benefits without the added fat. By choosing low or non-fat versions of your favorite dairy products, you can get all of the nutritional value without the fattening aspects of the full fat versions. Studies have actually shown that consuming dairy products on a daily basis can help you lose weight and maintain it easier once you have achieved your weight loss goals.
There is one dairy product that should be avoided if you are trying to lose weight and that is butter. Butter is categorized as a fat in the food pyramid instead of in the dairy group as it contains few nutrients but huge amounts of fat in every serving. A better alternative would be to use a margarine that is made without the dangerous trans-fats. Although margarine is found in the dairy aisle of the grocery store, most brands are not dairy based but made with vegetable oils instead. Neither butter nor margarine should be consumed in large quantities as they can both do a lot of damage to a weight loss plan as they add a lot of calories with very little nutritional benefit.
Myth 2 : you'll be fine if you just eat low fat or non-fat foods.
Another commonly espoused myth is that you'll be fine if you just eat low fat or non-fat foods.
While this sounds like it makes sense, you can actually really sabotage your weight loss efforts if you don't look closer at the nutrition labels.
The fat in foods is where much of the flavor comes from so often companies will add things in to make the food taste better with less fat. Things like added sugars or starches can be very high in calories so while a food may say it's low fat, it could still contain as many or more calories as the full fat versions. So remember that while being low in fat is a good thing to watch for, you also must check the rest of the nutrition label - consuming less fat but more calories won't help you lose weight.
Myth 3 : become vegetarian.
One big myth that is growing in popularity is that all you need to do to lose weight and maintain health is to become a vegetarian.
There is nothing wrong with being a vegetarian and it can be a very healthy lifestyle when proper attention is paid to nutritional content in the foods included in the vegetarian diet. However, losing weight alone is a bad reason to become a vegetarian. It can be very difficult to maintain the proper balance of nutrition needed when you eliminate other food groups like dairy and meats.
Some vegetables do have protein, for example, but the concentration is not nearly as high in meats and dairy products so you must eat more of the food to make up for this as well as in the right combination to fully utilize all the amino acids found in a complete protein source. Other things that are hard to get through a strictly vegetarian diet include iron, calcium, zinc and vitamins B12 and D.
