Right notions about eating

Do you know everything about losing weight the right way?

The concepts of a perfect diet and a proper weight loss program are changing everyday according to new information being gained. If I read yesterday that eating breakfast is important for a weight-loss program today I read that just eating breakfast does not give anything. Let’s see the new viewpoints and facts about weight-loss.

1. Breakfast rule. Eating breakfast in the morning saves you from overeating later on in the day. But does that mean you have to eat your cereals as early as 7 AM or when you are not hungry? No! You don’t have to force yourself with your breakfast immediately when you get up.  You just have to eat it so that you don’t have to remain hungry till lunch time. You can eat it within three hours after waking up.
2. Calorie rule. Your diet is based on your daily calories and hence it is very important to watch your calories. Eat enough calories and do enough exercise to get your desired weight. Limit fatty foods but it is not necessary to avoid them totally. Your body needs fat for its proper functioning.
3. Fat rule. Fat are more fattening than proteins and carbohydrates. As mentioned above, your body needs fat in moderation to produce essential fatty acids. When you consume fat you feel a sense of fullness and do not feel the pangs of hunger fast.
4. Carb rule. Generally, we hear that you need to avoid carbohydrates, fat and protein to lose weight. But that is a wrong notion. Carbohydrates are a part of your balanced diet. They don’t make you fat. You can include moderate amount of carbohydrates in your daily diet.
5. The three-time rule. Most of the weight-loss ideas speak of eating/snacking a few times a day. But they do not speak of the important part, the calorie intake. However many times you eat in a day all you have to do is to watch your calorie intake. At the same time, to keep yourself less hungry and angry you have eat three full meals a day.

One feels that as long as human life goes on earth, life will be guided by myths and senseless beliefs. The origins of these myths are unknown but they are everywhere, without any distinction of caste, age or race.

1. It is generally taken and spread that low fat foods help weight loss. It is not the fat but the calories that people need to watch out. Fat-free food items do not mean calorie-free. Foods labeled low-fat or fat-free may contain lots of unnecessary and unexpected calories in other forms. These include foods like ready-to eat meals, confectionaries, biscuits and your favorite ice-creams. Look for foods which have fat not more than 3g per 100g. Also eat less or reduced portion sizes to keep fat at the minimum. Sugar filled foods also need to be reduced even if they are low on fat.
2. Eating late in the night contributes to weight gain. I have seen many people eating less of meal and dessert in fear of gaining weight. I never thought the logic behind it and believed the same myself. I ate less at night and was happy to think that I will not put one extra weight if I did so. Even certain diet plans second this idea recommending less food in the night. This is based on the idea that there is no activity at night and therefore there is less digestion. The body will store more fat with no physical activity going on and burns no fat. Studies prove that it is wrong. What makes the difference is the portion sizes you have in the whole of 24hrs. A regular and balanced meal is the key to maintain your weight.
3. Crash diet helps rapid weight loss. It is a totally senseless idea. Crash diet is short term weight loss. As the name suggests the diet may crash any time. It is short-lived and difficult to follow. When the body does not get enough calories it goes on a ’starvation mode’. Once you start eating normal food the body is not able to process the high calories coming in. It needs fewer calories for its functioning and you end up putting on additional weight than before. Further, as you diet you metabolism also slows down to conserve energy. This goes on even when you get back to your normal routine and more fat is stored due to slow metabolism.
4. I have read that certain foods can aid weight loss. To my amazement, they included my favorite vegetable cabbage as well. But there are strong opinions from researches that foods like these consumed in normal quantities cannot burn fat.

The present Indian population I come across in the USA is a very health conscious one. They avoid eating too much of oily food or sweets for the sake of their good health. When I realized that some of our friends even avoid eating red meat, coconut (a vital part of the South Indian staple diet), spicy food, frozen foods and the like I was amazed. They do not frequent McDies or Burger King and never allow their children to enjoy French fries. So too an American family friend who is very health conscious eats only brown rice for dinner.

We have a lot of mistaken notions about our daily foods. One such notion is about red meat. We believe that red meat is full of cholesterol and hence is injurious to health and weight. Health concerns with regard to red meat is due of its cholesterol and saturated fat content. However, lean meat in moderate amounts can only impart good health as they contain protein, iron and zinc which is vital to a healthy body.Cheer up! You can enjoy a slice of red meat with your weight loss diet without causing any harm. Remove the fat content of the meat before you cook them and never forget your portion sizes. Pork tenderloin,beef round steak, tenderloin, sirloin tip, flank steak, and extra lean ground beef are low in fat.

Avoiding milk and curd totally even on a weight loss program is not a wise idea. Dairy products are nutritious and contain important things which your body crave for. Your muscles need their protein and calcium for strength. Low-fat or fat-free dairy products can be a part of your weight loss diet.

Grab a handful of nuts without the worry of gaining weight. Nuts are not fattening if consumed in small sizes. The healthy fats in these health bombs are loaded with protein, dietary fiber, and minerals including magnesium and copper.

Remember that not all foods are unhealthy if consumed in limited quantity.

Yes, even weight loss ideas are contaminated by myths and misconceptions.  People live under wrong impressions and never realize the simple truths. Have you been living in a myth with regard to your weight loss diet?

These are some of the common myths with regards to weight-loss diet which remain uncorrected. Do you really believe in any of these?

1. Herbal weight loss products are safe. It is a common belief that anything that is labeled “natural” or “herbal” is safe. People do not realize that some products may contain harmful ingredients like ephedra which is now banned in the US. Some others contain ingredients similar to ephedra. Hence it is necessary to be cautious while choosing your weight-loss product.
2. Limiting starch helps weight loss as starch is fat. Well, it is not about just starch. We need a lot of complex carbohydrates to lead a healthy life. And many foods containing starch carry your energy-giving complex carbohydrates. Foods like bread and vegetables like beans are rich in starch but low in fat.
3. Fad diets work just great! Myth again.They form a part of your quick weight loss plan.  But you may get bored of fad diet soon and may put on more pounds as easily as you shed it. They also lead you to the risk of gallstones and also deprive you of your healthy nutrients by cutting on a lot of foods.
4. High protein/low carbohydrate diets are good for healthy weight loss. High protein foods include eggs, cheese and the like. They in fact lead you to heath risks like cardiovascular diseases by giving you a lot of fat. You are not having a balanced diet anymore and you do not get enough fiber and nutrients. ketosis develops if you eat less than 130 grams of carbohydrate a day. A lot of ketones in blood in turn leads to the production of high levels of uric acid paving way to kidney stones and gout.