13 Common Weight Loss Myths (3 - 4)
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Myth 3: You Shouldn’t Eat Fat
You go on a diet to lose fat, right?
So isn’t it counterproductive to eat it?
Aren’t you defeating the purpose?
Actually, your body does need some fat to run efficiently. The key is knowing what fats are good for you and which ones you should avoid.
The fats you want to stay away from are the trans fats and saturated fats. These types of fats raise your cholesterol and put you at greater risk of cardiovascular disease. [1]
How do you know which ones are trans and saturated?
Basic rule of thumb is that these types of fats are solid when they’re at room temperature. Some examples are beef and pork fat, butter, margarine and shortening.
The fats that you do want to include in your diet, although in limited amounts, are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
Contrary to the trans fats and saturated fats, these healthier fat options help lower your cholesterol and are actually beneficial to your heart.
These types of fats are generally more liquid at room temperature. You can find them in fatty fish (like salmon) and in certain oils; like olive, safflower, corn and peanut.
Myth 4: All Calories Are Equal
A calorie is a calorie right?
While technically the answer is yes, it’s actually a little more complicated than that.
There’s more to food than just the calorie content. For instance, one Snickers bar has 273 calories.
For roughly the same amount of calories, you could eat 2 apples (104 calories), 1 banana (94 calories) and 1 cup of blueberries (81 calories). Now, which option do you think is healthier?
When you’re watching what you eat, you do want to stay within a certain calorie range based upon your age, sex, height, activity level, etc.
But just as important as watching your calorie count, you also want to ‘spend’ your calories wisely by picking foods high in nutrients and vitamins.
This is where the healthy eating guidelines come in. They are put in place to assure that you receive adequate nutrition while not eating more than your body needs. If you do, that is when fat is stored.
Try to get as many colors on your plate as possible. Go for the bright green vegetables and the choose fruits that are red and blue and orange.
The more multi-colored your plate is, the greater the likelihood that it holds a good variety of the vitamins and minerals you need.
And, while we’re talking about your plate, you should fill half with fruits and veggies, one quarter with complex carbs and one quarter with protein. Don’t forget your dairy to keep your bones strong, too.
You go on a diet to lose fat, right?
So isn’t it counterproductive to eat it?
Aren’t you defeating the purpose?
Actually, your body does need some fat to run efficiently. The key is knowing what fats are good for you and which ones you should avoid.
The fats you want to stay away from are the trans fats and saturated fats. These types of fats raise your cholesterol and put you at greater risk of cardiovascular disease. [1]
How do you know which ones are trans and saturated?
Basic rule of thumb is that these types of fats are solid when they’re at room temperature. Some examples are beef and pork fat, butter, margarine and shortening.
The fats that you do want to include in your diet, although in limited amounts, are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
Contrary to the trans fats and saturated fats, these healthier fat options help lower your cholesterol and are actually beneficial to your heart.
These types of fats are generally more liquid at room temperature. You can find them in fatty fish (like salmon) and in certain oils; like olive, safflower, corn and peanut.
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| 13 Common Weight Loss Myths |
Myth 4: All Calories Are Equal
A calorie is a calorie right?
While technically the answer is yes, it’s actually a little more complicated than that.
There’s more to food than just the calorie content. For instance, one Snickers bar has 273 calories.
For roughly the same amount of calories, you could eat 2 apples (104 calories), 1 banana (94 calories) and 1 cup of blueberries (81 calories). Now, which option do you think is healthier?
When you’re watching what you eat, you do want to stay within a certain calorie range based upon your age, sex, height, activity level, etc.
But just as important as watching your calorie count, you also want to ‘spend’ your calories wisely by picking foods high in nutrients and vitamins.
This is where the healthy eating guidelines come in. They are put in place to assure that you receive adequate nutrition while not eating more than your body needs. If you do, that is when fat is stored.
Try to get as many colors on your plate as possible. Go for the bright green vegetables and the choose fruits that are red and blue and orange.
The more multi-colored your plate is, the greater the likelihood that it holds a good variety of the vitamins and minerals you need.
And, while we’re talking about your plate, you should fill half with fruits and veggies, one quarter with complex carbs and one quarter with protein. Don’t forget your dairy to keep your bones strong, too.
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