Good Eating Habits — Avoid These 7 Myths
Think of your body as a precision machine. It has countless intricate parts that work together to perform amazing functions. And like any machine, it needs to be regularly maintained and properly fueled.
Your body needs to be fueled with the right nutrients in order to run at its maximum capacity. Following good eating habits is important to your overall health, but you also need to be able to sift through the layers of poor information.
Here are seven myths — busted — about good eating habits:
1. “It is best to work out on an empty stomach.” A definite myth. Your stomach’s rumblings are an attempt to tell you something, not to get you to go to the gym! If you ignore tummy rumbling, you are forcing your engine to run without fuel. Have a light snack, even just a piece of fruit, before you undertake anything physical.
2. “Meal replacement bars and drinks are good for you.” Sorry, another myth. Meal replacement bars and drinks can offer a small benefit if you are traveling or in a real pinch, but they are nowhere near the same as eating real food. Vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, fiber, and plenty more is available in fruit and vegetables, and is much better than bars.
3. “Breakfast isn’t important.” Of course, your mother was right about this one. Breakfast is and will always be the most important meal of the day. Eating a healthy breakfast gives your body the supercharge it needs to meet the challenges of the day. Skipping breakfast robs your body of precious fuel, and will leave you feeling tired and hungry all day long.
4. “Low-carb diets provide all the nutrients we need.” Another myth. For temporary weight loss, low-carb diets may work, but in terms of overall good health, they come up short. We need carbohydrates for our very survival, and they start by developing muscle tissue, and storing energy for later use.
5. “It’s okay to eat what you want, when you want it.” Not true my friend. That’s too easy. Regular exercise and frequent good food choices will help, but you have to maintain both, forever, for the wellness benefits to add up. That does not mean “all or none”, but rather seek the balanced diet that we hear so much about. Bread and cheese for three nights straight won’t cut it.
6. “Reduce calories as much as possible.” Losing weight involves both exercise and cutting calories, but if you cut too many, you run the risk of doing more harm to yourself than good. Chop calories gently, targeting one or two pounds per week. If you are losing weight too quickly, add some more fruits and veggies to slow things down.
7. “Forget soda pop and alcohol.” This one’s true! Good drinking is a big part of good overall eating. Why add to the profits of companies selling sugar water with artificial flavor and color added? Tap water is healthy, and juice and milk are also great choices. Drink small amounts all day and evening long, as much as you can comfortably ingest. (But note that the “rule” of 8 glasses a day is not really based on scientific research, but is another myth that has been repeated millions of times.) Avoid dehydration by sipping frequently.
A solid understanding of a healthy diet will lead you to make good eating habit choices. It is not that complicated, and when you change what you eat, you will have made a big step toward overall wellness enhancement. Fuel up with good food, and keep that motor running for smooth performance down the road.
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November 12 2008 08:26 am | Nutrition
Good Eating Habits — Avoid These 7 Myths on 12 Nov 2008 at 10:13 am #
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