The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie, deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive and unrealistic. ~ John F. Kennedy Weight loss advice is so common (and contentious) now. There are differences of opinion everywhere. I say, forget about "who's right" and let's focus on "what's right for you” because what gets results is what I'm focusing on in this post. I respect you too much to make empty promises and try to convince you about something that doesn’t work. There are SO many weight loss myths out there. I’m going to tackle the top ones that I’ve proven wrong in my personal experience and oneI come across with my clients. Myth: Calories cause weight gain, and fewer calories are the path to weight loss Calories are absolutely important for weight loss. If you eat and absorb a ton more than you use, then your body’s wisdom will store some for later. Calories do matter but they are not the “be-all and end-all" of weight loss; they're important, but they're a contributor, a symptom, but not the cause. To understand the reasons people eat more calories we need to keep in perspective the many factors that influence weight gain and loss and one is one of the main drives behind calorie intake. People eat too many calories, not because they're hungry, but because they feel sad, lonely, or bored or maybe because they're tired or stressed; maybe even because they're happy on vacation or celebrating a birthday or a holiday. All these feelings interact with our gastrointestinal, nervous and hormonal systems which influence our calorie intake. Myth: “Eat less, move more” is good advice Daily exercise is absolutely key to a healthy body, a healthy mind and a healthy spirit. But the premise of the above myth that calories in minus calories out equals your weight so you should eat fewer calories and burn off more calories to manage weight. It's not that simple because human physiology is not a simple math equation. Even if people can happily and sustainably follow this advice, which is difficult for most, it completely negates other factors that contribute to weight problems. Things like the causes of overeating we mentioned above. Not to mention any health conditions we're dealing with or our exposure to an obesogenic environment. You can read a scientific study about environmental factors in obesity in this abstract. Myth: A calorie is a calorie This is a paradigm that must change. It’s outdated and inaccurate. Science has confirmed several caloric components of food differ from others. For example, the “thermic effect of food” (TEF) is that some nutrients require calories to be metabolized. They can slightly increase your metabolism, just by eating them. For example, when you metabolize protein you burn more calories than when you metabolize carbohydrates. Proteins and carbohydrates both have 4 calories/gram but the TEF of protein = 15–30%; and the TEF for carbohydrates = 5–10%. Examples of high protein plant based foods are lentils, quinoa, hemp seeds, chia seeds, spiraling, nutritional yeast, chickpeas and most beans. If you choose to eat soy products, ALWAYS CHOOSE ORGANIC. Forget soy milk and go for tempeh, sprouted tofu or edamame. Remember, too, not all carbs are the same. Simple carbs like candy, sweetened drinks, fruit juice, all pasta, including gluten-free pastas, crackers and processed cereals including quick oats have high sugar and low thermic effect. Complex unrefined carbs, especially ones higher in fat like avocado, nuts and seeds have a higher thermic effect. Here’s another example of a calorie not being a calorie. Different fats are burned and stored differently. Medium chain triglycerides (fats) (MCTs) have the same 9 calories/gram that other fats do but, they're metabolized by the liver before getting into the bloodstream and therefore MCFA and MCTs aren't utilized or stored the same way as other fats. Coconut oil is an excellent source of MCTs. Myth: A supplement/tea/food/magic potion will make you lose weight There is no magic pill for weight loss. No supplement, tea, food, or other potion will do the trick. There are products that make these claims, and they're full of garbage. The only thing you will lose is your money and possibly your hope and the will to create positive, perennial behaviors with food and weight loss. So, please don’t believe this myth. There is a reason most people who lose weight can’t keep it off. The real magic is in adopting a sustainable holistic and healthy approach to living your life. What you need is a long-term lifestyle makeover, not a product. Live your truth and you will find the magic. Weight loss is hard! There are too many influences out there trying to make it sound like they have the simplest, or the latest and greatest, solution. Let go of the myths. Understand the principles and get support to put them into practice.
Now check out my magical, myth-free Mediterranean Kale and Cucumber Super Salad recipe. It's filling and nutritious and super-delicious! Take care of that beautiful you. xoxo Beth
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