4 Weight Loss Myths

Everybody knows that losing weight can be a struggle. Eating healthily, keeping down portion sizes,and supressing cravings is not for the fainthearted, and does take a fair bit of willpower.

However, equally difficult can be making sense of it all; knowing what’s good and what’s bad for you. Because, when it comes to weight loss, myths abound. Should you be eating more meat or none at all? Avoiding certain food groups or maintaining a varied and balanced diet?

Find out the answers here in our list of common weight-loss myths:

Myth 1: You have to eat meat to get enough protein

Each day, the average person should consume around 30 grams of protein. This can come in the form of meat and dairy products, but these are often high in both salt and fat. Fruit and vegetables, on the other hand, can also provide small amounts of protein with none of the downsides of meat and dairy. Nuts, grains, and oats are also a great way of getting the proteins you need without eating meat.
In fact, nuts, grains, and oats contain ‘complete’ proteins, whereas those found in meat are actually ‘incomplete’ proteins. This means that the proteins found in nuts, grains, and oats can be more nutritious than those found in meat.

Myth 2: Some food groups should be avoided

Whilst many fad diets recommend excluding certain food groups, this isn’t strictly necessary. The fact is that eating a varied and balanced diet with a range of food groups will supply you with all the diverse nutrients you need to keep healthy. These include water, vitamins, protein, minerals, carbohydrates, fibre, salt, and even a little fat.

Myth 3: Remove fat from your diet

This is entirely untrue. Fats are vital for helping your joints and muscles to run smoothly, and each day your body needs around 30 grams to function properly. Eating a diet rich in foods such as raw nuts, olive oil, and avocados is a good way to top up on these nutritious and healthy fats. Look closely at the foods you buy and stay away from unhealthy and generally useless ‘hydrogenated fats’.

Myth 4: You have to go hungry to lose weight

One popular myth surrounding weight loss is that hunger is good, that hunger helps you to lose weight; that, essentially, if you’re not hungry, you’re not doing enough. Luckily, that’s all it is: a myth. Each day, the average woman should consume no less than 1,200 calories, and the average man no less than 1,800 calories. This rule always applies, diet or no diet.Nonetheless, hunger can occasionally set in, even when you’re eating enough. One way to prevent these hunger pangs is to eat more fruit and vegetables, or even to try some of the snacks in our list of 100 low-calorie foods.

Alternatively, you could try our Low-Glycaemic Index Diet Plan, which contains foods with a low glycaemic index (GI). This means that the foods on this plan leave you feeling fuller for longer, helping you to stave off hunger while dieting. Remember: if you’re feeling too hungry all the time, you’re not doing it right.

Get some balance back into your life by choosing a Bodychef Home Delivery diet.