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There is SO MUCH information out there about what you should or shouldn’t eat.. and it is sometimes close to impossible to know what to believe and what to ignore. Here are a few “mis-truths” that I have come across that I would like to share with you!
Myth #1
Coffee is bad for you! It has been proven that coffee has various health benefits- among them it has been found to have antioxidant properties, can help reduce risk of dementia and Alzheimers disease, and for fitness lovers it can be a great pre-workout supplement… and much cheaper than products that are marketed to gym-goers! That said, coffee CAN affect sleep patterns- try to make sure there are at least 8 hours in between your last cup of coffee and your bedtime! When it comes to healthy nutrition or fat loss, the problem isn’t the coffee itself- its the sugar and high fat milk we add to it, or the cigarettes we smoke during the coffee breaks.
Myth #2:
Frozen food isn’t a healthy choice! Personally, I would much rather have my clients be eating frozen veggies than NO veggies! Frozen fruit, veggies and proteins can actually be a lifesaver for someone with a busy schedule- just heat and eat! Also, due to the fact that most frozen fruits and veggies are flash frozen at the height of their freshness… many frozen options can actually be HEALTHIER than fresh! For proteins, it can often be cheaper to find frozen wild salmon over fresh wild salmon, and frozen, uncooked protein options are easy to take out of the fridge in the morning and quickly cook up at night. However, make sure you always read the ingredient labels- we want to be buying ingredients, not products.
Myth #3:
To lose body fat… just eat less. Wellllll.. Yes AND no. Eating less of the WRONG things and more of the RIGHT things can actually help you lose body fat. Think about it this way- eat less processed carbs like bread and pasta, and more lean proteins and vegetables. Less fruit juice, more whole fruit. You can easily lower your caloric intake, feel satisfied and enjoy what you eat by changing which foods you choose, while actually eating a larger amount of food! (This is where a nutrition coach can be super helpful in helping you make changes!)
Myth #4:
Protein powder makes you “bulk up.” Protein powder or protein supplements alone do not have any effect on weight gain. By adding a protein shake to your day, you won’t just magically wake up with muscles! What CAN cause you to feel like your body is “bulking up” if you add a protein supplement/powder to your diet is one of two things: if you have an intolerance to the type of protein chosen and it causes inflammation/bloating in your body, or if, as a result of including the protein supplement in your diet, you are eating more calories than you need! Protein powder can actually be a great addition for SOME people to add to their diets if they struggle to eat enough protein, or can’t stomach the idea of food after working out.
Myth #5:
Eating carbs at night make you fat. This is an interesting one that is actually SO much more commonly believed than I originally thought! The truth is, a carb is a carb at 1pm or at 8pm. Eating a bit of carbohydrates in your evening meal can actually help you sleep better or recover from a hard workout that day… which in turn can actually help you LOSE fat. You aren’t “getting fat” because you’re eating carbs at night.. the problem is too much carbohydrate overall in you daily diet, or choosing the wrong kinds! Aim to keep carbs as un-processed as possible, and with no added sugars or “fake sugars”, as the sugar content can actually make sleep more difficult… and make sure that your portion sizes are adequate for your needs! A good choice for an “evening carb” could be something like brown rice, potatoes or quinoa with dinner.
These are just 5 healthy eating myths out of about a million that are out there… I hope you enjoyed hearing about them! Definitely leave me a comment if you have any other “myths” you would like to know the truth about!
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