There is plenty of conflicting nutrition information out there, making it easy for people to fall into unhealthy eating habits without realizing it. This is especially true when it comes to losing weight, as people make mistakes that unknowingly sabotage their efforts. Read on to learn about three common diet mistakes…
1. Not eating enough fat.
Since the 1980 release of the first US dietary guidelines, fat was considered something to avoid because it is high in calories. The whole diet industry adopted this idea, but over the next 20 years obesity rates continued to increase. Then it was discovered that moderate intake of fat wasn’t the problem – rather, too much sugar was a much more potent cause of obesity than dietary fat. In fact, healthy fats are an important part of your diet. They are used in the production of hormones, give you long-term energy needed in endurance sports, and could even lower bad cholesterol. You need healthy monounsaturated fats in your diet every day, like those found in olive oil, almonds, peanut butter, coconut oil and avocados.
2. Not eating enough carbs.
So many people are on low carb diets because they think that carbs are the cause of their weight gain. But they are only partly right. High glycemic index carbohydrates such as sugar, white pasta, and white bread can cause a large increase in your blood sugar levels, which act as a trigger for insulin which converts them into fat – particularly belly fat. But complex carbohydrates, which are high in fiber, have a low glycemic index, and only cause a small rise in your blood sugar, so they are not converted into fat, and they give you energy for a longer period of time. Examples of healthy complex carbohydrates are oatmeal, quinoa, whole grain pasta and boiled potatoes.
3. Eating too much protein.
Protein is an essential part of a healthy diet, as it helps build your muscles. However, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Protein still has calories, and it can still cause weight gain if overeaten. For an 80-kilogram (180-pound) man, 80 to 100 grams of protein per day is adequate for endurance training (64 grams for weight training). For a 60-kilogram (132-pound) woman, 60 to 70 grams of protein per day is adequate for endurance training (48 grams for weight training). Examples of healthy proteins are meat, fish, chicken, eggs, milk and cheese.
I hope these recommendations will help you to eat a healthier diet and be more successful in controlling your weight!
Submitted by Millar Sports Chiropractic
