Weight loss myths that keep you away from that perfect shape
1. Eat less, exercise more
In short term, this method may seem perfect. You lose weight, maybe gain some muscle if you exercise enough. However, exercise makes us hungry. Our bodies are losing energy and they want to replenish it as soon as possible. As Professor Tim Noakes said, "the benefits of exercise are unbelievable, but if you have to exercise to keep your weight down, your diet is wrong".
2. Eat low fat, high fibre foods
Fat is a flavour carrier. Fat slows down digestion, keeping us fuller for longer. It is also essential for absorption of fat soluble vitamins and minerals that require them. Fibre, on the other hand, is tasteless and its only function is to bulk up and, hopefully, soften the stool (which will only happen if an appropriate amount of water is also ingested). Fibre also binds to healthy fats, vitamins and minerals, preventing our bodies from absorbing them. That leaves us undernourished and always craving various foods, as our body tries to remedy the shortage.
3. Eat low fat/no fat dairy
This is another fallacy that can even turn dangerous. Fats in dairy products help to absorb calcium and vitamin d. Calcium has been recognised to aid in weight loss, hence dairy products are often recommended as a weight loss tool. However, without the fat, the dairy is tasteless and the calcium can't absorb properly. Vitamin d also doesn't absorb well. Protein in dairy can be difficult to digest for some people, causing bloating and other digestive issues, unless it is buffered by fat which helps to move things along as they 'slide' through the digestive track.
4. Eat three meals and two or three snacks a day
Why? Constant eating causes constant spikes of blood sugar, followed by spikes of insulin, which is a fat storage hormone. It opens our cells to more energy which they don't need at the time, causing them to store it for later. All good and well from an evolutionary perspective when periods of plenty were followed by periods of scarcity. However, nowadays, when food is everywhere and at all times, our bodies never get the chance to use up what's accumulated unless it is given to them. The feeling of hunger is essential for the proper working of our digestive system. It also allows the body to make use of its resources.
5. Fasting is dangerous
In the world of plenty, where eating every 2.5 to 3 hours seems to be the way to go, our bodies never get a break. We are obsessed with preventing blood sugar lows, which are thought to cause the afternoon slumps. So why not have that chocolate muffin at 3pm... Well, because our stomach needs to rest. Our body needs to rest. It needs to realise that feeling peckish is not the end of the world and that waiting a few hours for a proper meal is not going to hurt it.
6. Vegan diet is the way to go
No, it is not. Veganism is full of foods that cause bloating and digestive issues, especially in people who experience intestinal sensivities or disorders. Veganism is not a diet compatibile with the human body, as some of the nutrients it requires cannot be provided reliably on the vegan diet. Majority of vegan 'foods' are highly processed, filled with industrially produced oils and full of empty calories that do not nourish the body. Understandably, some people feel it to be the only ethical way to live, however, this is more of a belief system rather than a healthy way of living.