Weight-Loss Myths Revealed
Revealed.
Weight Loss Myths You're Led To Believe 'Foods labeled 'low fat' or 'reduced fat' are always a healthy choice' Nowadays, almost anything you can buy from the supermarket has a 'healthy' or 'low fat' alternative.
The health food market is one of the most profitable and growing markets in the food industry.
However, here is a note of caution about some of the tricks of language used by the food industry you have to watch out for.
Foods labeled 'low fat' have to meet legal criteria to use that label.
For instance, labels that claim a produce contains 'reduced fat' do not have to meet the same standards, and can be misleading.
A reduced-fat snack should contain less fat than the full-fat version, but that doesn't automatically make it a healthy choice: it could still contain a lot more fat than, say, a portion of fruit.
Low-fat foods also sometimes contain high levels of sugar.
Therefore do not judge a healthy alternative product just on the front labeling.
Your decision should not just be based on fat content alone.
Excess sugar gets turned into fat by the body and can cause many other health complications.
'Eaten in the right quantities, carbohydrates will not cause weight gain' Margarine contains less fat than butter.
Many dietitians and nutritional experts recommend changing from butter to margarine.
We seem to take it for granted that margarine is less fatty than butter.
But did you know that the difference between margarine and butter is not as black and white as you might think? Margarine and butter contain different types of fat.
Margarine is usually lower in saturated fat than butter.
Yet, it is more likely to contain hydrogenated fats.
Hydrogenated fats, also called tran-saturated (or trans fats), may be more harmful to health than saturated fats.
To lose weight, and for heart health, you need to reduce the amount of saturated and hydrogenated fats you eat.
If oil in margarine has been hydrogenated, this has to be listed on the ingredient listing on packaging, so check labels carefully.
Food manufactures are required by law to list all their ingredients so just spend a bit of time reading up on what exactly is in your food.
'Carbohydrates make you put on weight' 'Cutting down on Carbs' has become a bit of a buzz term in healthy eating circles.
Indeed in some ways 'Carbs' have replaced fat as the new bogey 'substance'.
Take the Atkins diet for instance.
Its worldwide success was based on eliminating Carbs from the individual diets.
However, when eaten in the right quantities, carbohydrates will not cause weight gain.
A 2003 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine came to the conclusion that dieters on the best-known low-carb diet, the Atkins diet, tended to lose weight not because they ate fewer carbohydrates, but simply because they ate less overall! Try to steer clear of misinformation and fad diets.
Stick to eating wholegrain and wholemeal carbohydrates such as brown rice and wholemeal bread.
Also stay away from frying starchy foods when trying to lose weight.
There are lots of good sources of healthy eating information out there.
One of the best is the 'Eat well, be well', the Food Standards Agency's website .
Remember 'Eaten in the right quantities, carbohydrates will not cause weight gain' 'Cutting out all snacks can help you lose weight' Traditionalists have pointed to the dangers of snacking between meals if you want to avoid weight gain.
However, this is only a half truth.
That is because it isn't snacking in itself that is the problem - but what you snack on.
Snacking can actually be useful between meals in order to maintain energy levels - especially if you have an active lifestyle.
Rather than reaching for a biscuit or packet of crisps choose a piece of fruit or rice/corn based snacks like Snackajacks instead.
Make sure you avoid snacking on anything that is high in sugar or saturated fats.
'Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight' On the face of it skipping meals seems like a logical way to lose weight, after all isn't this simply reducing your calorie intake? Well yes and no! Basically, skipping meals is not a very good idea and here's why.
To lose weight and keep it off, you have to reduce the amount of calories you consume, or increase the calories you burn through exercise.
But skipping meals altogether will result in tiredness and poor nutrition.
You will also be more likely to snack on high-fat and high-sugar foods, which could result in weight gain.
The whole point of losing weight properly isn't to starve your body into submission; but, to keep it in a healthy and happy working order.
With a bit of self discipline and positive thinking you will find yourself making the right decisions in what meals you consume.
Weight Loss Myths You're Led To Believe 'Foods labeled 'low fat' or 'reduced fat' are always a healthy choice' Nowadays, almost anything you can buy from the supermarket has a 'healthy' or 'low fat' alternative.
The health food market is one of the most profitable and growing markets in the food industry.
However, here is a note of caution about some of the tricks of language used by the food industry you have to watch out for.
Foods labeled 'low fat' have to meet legal criteria to use that label.
For instance, labels that claim a produce contains 'reduced fat' do not have to meet the same standards, and can be misleading.
A reduced-fat snack should contain less fat than the full-fat version, but that doesn't automatically make it a healthy choice: it could still contain a lot more fat than, say, a portion of fruit.
Low-fat foods also sometimes contain high levels of sugar.
Therefore do not judge a healthy alternative product just on the front labeling.
Your decision should not just be based on fat content alone.
Excess sugar gets turned into fat by the body and can cause many other health complications.
'Eaten in the right quantities, carbohydrates will not cause weight gain' Margarine contains less fat than butter.
Many dietitians and nutritional experts recommend changing from butter to margarine.
We seem to take it for granted that margarine is less fatty than butter.
But did you know that the difference between margarine and butter is not as black and white as you might think? Margarine and butter contain different types of fat.
Margarine is usually lower in saturated fat than butter.
Yet, it is more likely to contain hydrogenated fats.
Hydrogenated fats, also called tran-saturated (or trans fats), may be more harmful to health than saturated fats.
To lose weight, and for heart health, you need to reduce the amount of saturated and hydrogenated fats you eat.
If oil in margarine has been hydrogenated, this has to be listed on the ingredient listing on packaging, so check labels carefully.
Food manufactures are required by law to list all their ingredients so just spend a bit of time reading up on what exactly is in your food.
'Carbohydrates make you put on weight' 'Cutting down on Carbs' has become a bit of a buzz term in healthy eating circles.
Indeed in some ways 'Carbs' have replaced fat as the new bogey 'substance'.
Take the Atkins diet for instance.
Its worldwide success was based on eliminating Carbs from the individual diets.
However, when eaten in the right quantities, carbohydrates will not cause weight gain.
A 2003 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine came to the conclusion that dieters on the best-known low-carb diet, the Atkins diet, tended to lose weight not because they ate fewer carbohydrates, but simply because they ate less overall! Try to steer clear of misinformation and fad diets.
Stick to eating wholegrain and wholemeal carbohydrates such as brown rice and wholemeal bread.
Also stay away from frying starchy foods when trying to lose weight.
There are lots of good sources of healthy eating information out there.
One of the best is the 'Eat well, be well', the Food Standards Agency's website .
Remember 'Eaten in the right quantities, carbohydrates will not cause weight gain' 'Cutting out all snacks can help you lose weight' Traditionalists have pointed to the dangers of snacking between meals if you want to avoid weight gain.
However, this is only a half truth.
That is because it isn't snacking in itself that is the problem - but what you snack on.
Snacking can actually be useful between meals in order to maintain energy levels - especially if you have an active lifestyle.
Rather than reaching for a biscuit or packet of crisps choose a piece of fruit or rice/corn based snacks like Snackajacks instead.
Make sure you avoid snacking on anything that is high in sugar or saturated fats.
'Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight' On the face of it skipping meals seems like a logical way to lose weight, after all isn't this simply reducing your calorie intake? Well yes and no! Basically, skipping meals is not a very good idea and here's why.
To lose weight and keep it off, you have to reduce the amount of calories you consume, or increase the calories you burn through exercise.
But skipping meals altogether will result in tiredness and poor nutrition.
You will also be more likely to snack on high-fat and high-sugar foods, which could result in weight gain.
The whole point of losing weight properly isn't to starve your body into submission; but, to keep it in a healthy and happy working order.
With a bit of self discipline and positive thinking you will find yourself making the right decisions in what meals you consume.
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