Dieting Myths Revealed

by Renee Dietz | More from this Blogger

21 Oct 2006 06:50 PM

If you look at the world of dieting, you see a huge selection of stories to believe. The problem is that everyone claims to be right, making the choosing process difficult. To help you lose weight in a healthy way but also with excellent results, I wanted to reveal some of the most common dieting myths. What we do know is that to lose weight in a healthy manner, you must consume fewer calories than the body is burning. This can be done by consuming better and lower caloric foods or increasing the level of activity. Other than this, the things you need to know are listed below.

First, some diets suggest you eliminate specific food groups as a means of losing weight. Unfortunately, this is not true. Our bodies need a good, balanced diet in order to operate properly. For instance, some diets tell you to cut out fats but in truth, fats are essential to a healthy body. The same is true for carbohydrates. Sure, you do not want to consume an over abundance of carbohydrates but again, the body does need some good carbohydrates to help boost energy and build muscle.

A second myth has to do with eating high levels of protein, which has been seen in recent years as a very popular diet fat. Again, while approximately 30% of the daily intake should consist of protein, more than that can lead to clogged arteries, obesity, and other problems. Remember, both meat and dairy products are loaded with fat and sodium. Therefore, the 30% protein you do eat should include lean meats, nuts, grain, legumes, and some oils.

Moving on to myth three, somehow the story about needing to feel hungry in order to lose weight has made its way around the world of dieting but this too is false information. Now, you should not eat unless you are hungry, which is a built-in mechanism of the body telling you it is time to refuel. However, going hungry to lose weight is unhealthy and even unsafe. A good rule to follow is that the average woman will need approximately 1,200 calories a day while a man would need about 1,800. Your best bet is to eat four to six small meals a day, consisting of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, etc.

The key to any successful diet is to avoid getting caught up in the trends. Dieting is not even a good word. Instead, we should all be focusing on a healthy eating lifestyle. By that, I mean you change the way you eat permanently, not just eating differently until you lose weight. By changing your diet to well-balanced foods and consuming only what you need (perhaps with a once a week cheat day), the weight will come off while your body becomes healthier and healthier.

Top 5 Dieting Myths

Learn more about Renee Dietz

I have been a successful, published writer for the past 26 years, offering a writing style that is informative, creative, and reader-friendly.

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