Advice on Healthy Eating: Myths Revealed
We all know that healthy eating is vital to looking and feeling our best. Proper nutrition and high performance go hand in hand. Unhealthy eating habits have a negative impact on how your body looks, feels and performs. To ensure you’re getting the proper nutrition, you have to rid your mind of some of the common myths about nutrition that can keep you from functioning at your best.
Myth: Skipping breakfast is a great way to save calories.
Fact: You should eat breakfast every day. Eating breakfast provides your body with the fuel it needs to start the day, and kick starts your metabolism. Without eating breakfast, you will end up being hungry all day and your metabolism will be in slow motion.
Myth: It is okay to work out on an empty stomach.
Fact: Your body needs fuel. When you don’t eat when you are hungry, then you’re forcing your body to function without fuel.
Myth: Energy bars and energy drinks provide the best nutrition.
Fact: Whole foods provide the best fuel for the human body. While energy bars and health drinks can be good choices at times, they do not provide the full range of nutrients your body needs.
Myth: Low carbohydrate diets provide all the nutrition you need.
Fact: Carbohydrates are necessary for your body to function optimally. The human body needs carbohydrates for energy.
Myth: When you exercise, you can eat anything you want.
Fact: Everyone has the same basic nutritional needs. Exercise plays an important role in overall health, but it doesn’t give you the green light to eat five candy bars every day. People who exercise will still gain unwanted pounds if they eat more calories than they burn off.
Myth: The fewer calories you eat, the more weight you will lose.
Fact: While weight loss is tied to consuming fewer calories than you expend, there is a point of diminishing returns. If you don’t consume a sufficient quantity of calories, your body will not function efficiently. When the human body doesn’t get enough food, it goes into starvation mode. The metabolism slows down as a defense mechanism, and weight loss will stall.
Myth: Any type of liquid will keep you hydrated.
Fact: The best beverage for active people is water. Juice and milk are also healthy choices. Soda and alcohol do not provide hydration. Often by the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. You should drink frequently, particularly when you are exercising.
I hope this advice on healthy eating dispels some myths for you and will help you begin 2008 on the right track! Good luck with your new year!