Being physically fit and having toned and
good figure is the dream of everybody but the modern lifestyle doesn’t allow
everyone to have the same. Not everybody has the time to go to gym and workout
so an option of dieting is what we are left with so as to reduce body weight.
Don’t eat after 8 pm, stop eating rice, avoid bananas and potatoes, no tea and
coffee! How many times you have been advised to make these changes in your diet
by your friends and relatives when you said you wish to lose weight? Almost all
the time! Right? And you end up following the advice without realizing
that it may not do any good to you.
In reality, we are surrounded by many
misconceptions when it comes to dieting and that’s the reason many dieters fail
to achieve their goal even if they are highly motivated. Let’s look at 10 such
myths associated with dieting and the impact they have on you.
1. Low fat does not
necessarily mean less calories
Low-fat
diet simply doesn’t mean low-calorie diet and so it’s not like that you can
have as much of it as you want. If you pile up your plate with low-fat, you may
end up eating more calories than if you had a one serving of chips. In order to
make products low in fat, manufacturers add substituting ingredients like
flour, sugar, starch, etc. to improve taste and this adds calories. Therefore
the best way to know about how healthy your food product is check the
nutritional label, and know how many calories, fat, sugar you are getting.
2. Skip potatoes, rice and
bananas
Learn
to make smart choices and include these foods in your diet without letting them
hamper your calorie count. For example, banana in the morning will not only
provide you with a dose of potassium, fibre, vitamin C, etc. but will
also provide you with energy which will help you keep going throughout the day.
Rice contains methionine which helps
mobilise fat from the liver. Where you need to be careful is stop mindless
eating and control portion size when it comes to eating rice based
preparations.
Potatoes are loaded with nutrients too but
we make it unhealthy by using faulty cooking treatments like deep frying
(chips, cutlet, French fries, etc). If included sensibly in diet it can protect
against cardiovascular disease and cancer due to high potassium and Vitamin B6.
3. Late night meals
result in overweight
Your
weight is a result of what you eat throughout the day and not just at night.
This might be true for people who keep skipping meals at day time and binge at
night. The idea is keep a gap of at least an hour before hitting bed and eat
something light as you don’t need too many calories in the night.
4. Do not eat junk food
while dieting
Most
fast foods are unhealthy but not all, and if you choose your options carefully
you can include them in your healthy diet. Tips you can follow:
· Avoid high-calorie
toppings like cheese, butter, mayonnaise; instead you can go for salsa, garlic
dip, etc.
· Pick fresh fruit juice or
milkshake rather than aerated drinks.
· Choose salad based wraps
and burgers.
· Ask for steamed, baked or
grilled items rather than deep fried.
5. Skipping meals or
reducing intake of diet
If
you eat less or skip meals you will end up binging later on when you feel
extremely hungry. And therefore you gain more weight and your efforts get
wasted. Moreover, if you keep yourself on extremely low-calorie diet for longer
period of time, your metabolism gets altered and restricting yourself from
essential nutrients also poses great health threats.
6. Bye bye snacks?
While
mindless snacking can gift you with several extra kilos, thoughtful snacking
can help you reduce several kilos. People who have small, frequent meals with
snacks are more likely to get better weight loss results. Choose snacks which
are low in calorie and high in protein so that they can curb your hunger pangs in
a healthy way.
7. Vegetarians are devoid of
good protein sources
False,
there are plenty options for vegans too. Include at least three servings of
milk and milk products (one glass milk, one cup curd, 40g paneer),
two servings of pulses especially soybean, one serving of nuts to meet your
protein requirement.
8. Fasting regularly
It’s
an absurd idea to compensate your feast with fast. When you eat larger portions
than required, your body stores the extra calories in the form of fat and when
you skip meals there is an urgent need of energy by the body and that is served
by breaking muscle tissue because breaking down fat for energy is a long
process and it doesn’t come into circulation that easily. Therefore all your
effort goes waste.
9. Eggs are unhealthy
When
had for breakfast, eggs help limit your calorie intake all day. Eggs are a
well-known rich source of protein along with several vitamins and minerals
essential to your health like B2, B12, Vitamin A, E, iron, zinc and phosphorus.
Boiling an egg is one of the healthiest ways you can consume it and is the
perfect option for those watching their weight. You can include one egg in your
daily diet without bothering about the cholesterol content as one egg will not
do any harm.
10. Fruits are the best
breakfast option
No
doubt fruits are rich in many vitamins and minerals and carbohydrates. But
cereal is a better option when it comes to refuelling your body after a long
gap because it contains complex carbohydrate and protein and a fibre. Ideal
breakfast should contain a serving of cereal, milk or milk product, and a
fruit.
Indian dieting approach is surrounded by
number of myths and gimmicks. Adopt an approach of eating a balanced diet, and
keeping yourself active throughout the day for long term results.
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