Toward a Healthier You!

The diet industry is so hyped-up with misrepresentations and outright lies about how to lose weight that it’s astonishing anyone believes their claims.  The strategy here is to get people to buy on an emotional level.  Out of sheer desperation to lose weight, a lot of consumers will try almost anything.  Short term results are highlighted and very few have anything approaching a long term success story.  The $46 billion dollar a year diet industry spends millions yearly to lure you to buy products that promise nothing but sheer misery at the end of the rainbow.  Here are some myths you should be aware of:

1) You can lose 30 pounds in 30 days. This, or any other quick fix or gimmick, is just that.  Do not fall for the promise of super-fast results as true weight loss requires lots of commitment and a lifestyle change.  A long-term healthy lifestyle does not happen overnight, it takes small changes made daily.

2) Lose weight without eating.  By not eating you will be depriving your body of  vitamins, minerals and nutrients.  If you want a healthy body you need to eat; good whole nutritious foods such as fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts and proteins. By not eating, you will begin to lose muscle mass rather than fat.  Having less muscle mass slows the metabolism.  Even though you will lose weight by fasting you will almost certainly gain it back. 

3) Do not eat fats.  For years we were told not to eat any fats because they were to blame  for all of the world’s weight problems.  We were told not to eat fats because of their high caloric count per gram. Today we know a lot more of the science of fat.  The research shows that not all fats are alike.  The truth is that, some fats, like hydrogenated oils are unhealthy and some, like olive oil, are actually good for you. Fat is a nutrient. Essential fatty acids, like vitamins cannot be made in the body. They must be eaten.

Stay tuned for more myths…