Weight Loss VS. Health: 5 Common Myths
Written by: Kimberly McIntyre & Marcela Camargo
There are millions of secrets, diet plans and even medication for people looking to lose weight. However, some of these can make the process feel like a losing battle. Furthermore, you could be harming the body without you even realizing it. Losing weight doesn’t always mean being healthier, sometimes it’s quite the opposite.
In this article, I want to encourage you to focus less on calories and more on the value of a balanced and nutritious diet.
Remember, this journey is not only about looking better, it is about feeling better. But guess what? You can have both without having to put your health in jeopardy.
For this reason, I decided to compile a list of some of the most common weight loss myths that might be doing you more harm than good.
5 WEIGHT LOSS MYTHS
DON’T EAT THE EGG YOLK: Many diets have this restriction and suggest eating only egg whites for the reduction of calories. But what these diets don’t tell you is the nutrients you are giving up when you ditch the egg yolk. Whole eggs (egg white+yolk) have higher protein, healthy fats, Vitamin A, B12, B2, B5, Vitamin D, Selenium and Choline. God put the whole egg together strategically so that it can nourish the body well; therefore, the egg whites alone can’t give you all of these nutrients that are essential for your body.
It’s important to note that the types of eggs you consume make a big difference. One study showed that the Vitamin D3 content of egg yolk was 3 to 4 times higher in chickens that were exposed to sunlight compared to chickens that were kept indoors. I encourage you to eat eggs that come from chickens that are free-range, get sun and eat a healthy diet. If you eat eggs from an unhealthy chicken, this can increase the chance of high cholesterol.
CARBS ARE CARBS: This is also a very common saying among people that want to lose weight. Carbs are not all the same. There are simple carbs and complex carbs, and our body distributes them differently depending on which kind they are. Complex carbs, like whole grains, have nutrients and fiber that aid in digestion and elimination. When we remove carbs from our diet, our digestive system doesn’t function properly. We have to be able to eliminate daily in order to keep things flowing and have a healthy metabolism. We NEED carbs. Just make sure you are getting the right ones.
EAT FEWER CALORIES: This is a very common misconception. In reality, sometimes when people restrict their calories, it can slow their metabolism. Why? Because if you don’t eat enough, the body goes into “starvation mode.” The rule of thumb is: eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full, listen to your body and make good choices. Not all calories are the same. For instance, you may find that a donut and a salad have the same amount of calories; however, your body won’t use any of the calories that the donut is giving you, whereas with the salad, it is gonna use all of those nutrients that you are consuming. Same calories, different results.
ALL SWEETENERS ARE THE SAME: Not true. Many sweeteners, such as white sugar, are void of nutrients; therefore, the body doesn’t know what to do with them, which then can cause a quick sugar spike. A sugar spike can cause insulin resistance and raise blood sugar levels which can cause inflammation. On the other hand, sweeteners that are in a more natural state such as honey, pure maple syrup and sucanat, have nutrients attached to them causing them to digest slower. Therefore, natural sugars like these offer a constant supply of energy to the body cells, according to an article from Harvard Health Publishing.
Try to stay away from sucralose, saccharin and acesulfame potassium. According to experts from Cleveland Clinic, recent research with rodents showed that sucralose affects the microbiomes, which are good bacteria that help in digestion and our immune system; therefore, it can increase inflammation.
Some good replacement options are pure stevia, monk fruit and lucuma. Just make sure all of these are pure, with no sugar alcohols.
Regardless of natural or unnatural, it is highly important to watch our sugar intake. We need to have special caution with added sugar that can be present in foods that aren’t too obvious like some soups, bread, cured meats and ketchup.
DITCH YOUR CHOCOLATE: Before you give up chocolate, know that not all chocolate is created equal. For example, dark chocolate is different than milk chocolate in terms of nutritional value. Dark chocolate also has many nutrients that help fight your free radicals (which damage our cells, contribute to inflammation and chronic disease), they also have a lot of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. In contrast, milk chocolate can block the absorption of nutrients. If you are not getting enough nutrients, your body tends to have more cravings because it’s not getting what it needs; therefore, you might end up eating more than you intend to. For instance, you are more likely to feel full after eating a small piece of dark chocolate (with 70% cacao), than a whole bar of milk chocolate.
If you are a cocoa lover, I highly suggest switching your cocoa for cacao powder. Cocoa is put under a high-heat process which kills a lot of the antioxidants that are good for your body, whereas, cacao powder is not heated nor processed.
At the end of the day just remember: it’s all about making smart choices.