5 worst diet tips
Diet advice is something that we get everywhere, every time. But not all advice is the right advice. Here are 5 worst diet tips which are commonly heard but should never be followed.
- To lose weight, just eat less
Why it is bad: “”If weight management were that simple, the world would be skinny.†— Yoni Freedhoff, M.D., author of The Diet Fix. True words. Weight management is a complex process and definitely not as simple as “”eat less””. In fact many times we see that people, who are overweight, eat much less than their body requires. And still they are overweight, right? This is because if your calorie intake dips too low your body could go into starvation mode. Your body will start to store fat because it thinks it is not going to get anything. Eating too less makes our metabolism crawl to conserve the energy stores. You will be at a point where your body is kind of at a standstill.
What should you do: Eat as per your body requirement. More than the calories, focus on eating the right kind of foods. Avoid processed foods and reach out for fresh produce
- Avoid carbs
Why it is bad: Carbohydrates are a very important source of energy for our bodies. Eliminating them entirely from our diet causes the body to go low on energy and slows down metabolism. It also affects many important functions of our bodies and can lead to stress on liver, constipation, reduced concentration etc.
What should you do: We need to avoid processed carbohydrates like white bread, cakes, biscuits etc; and opt for whole grains.
- Skip breakfast
Why it is bad: Breakfast is the first meal of the day after a fasting of approximately 10 hours. Skipping it starts our body on a starvation mode and it causes cravings and hunger pangs later in the day. In this scenario we are more likely to reach for unhealthy options. Â Skipping breakfast also slows down the metabolism.
What should you do: Start the day with a healthy breakfast to kickstart your metabolism and to avoid hunger pangs later in the day.
- Stop snacking to lose weight
Why it is bad: Eating small frequent meals is a great way to control overeating and to keep the metabolism going. Long spells of hunger eventually lead to overeating later.
What should you do: Have small frequent meals during the day. Reach out for healthy snacks like fruits, nuts, and curd to keep the metabolism going. This also keeps you energized during the day.
- Give up fat to lose weight
Why it is bad: We all need dietary fat for various bodily functions like absorption of fat soluble vitamins, nerve transmission, maintaining core body temperature etc. It also is the backup source of energy for our body.
What should you do: Â Eliminate transfats and saturated fats from your diet for e.g. cakes, pastries, biscuits. Opt for unsaturated fats from unsalted nuts, flaxseeds, oily fish, rice bran oil and olive oil.
Always follow a wholesome, balanced and a healthy diet plan for long lasting health benefits. Stay healthy, stay happy!!
