3 Diet Industry Myths to Avoid

Okay my punny headline might be a little confusing... but I'm NOT changing it! :) You know what else can be confusing? These 3 Industry Myths that I so often have to work with my clients to unlearn. Have you heard these before, or do you believe some version of them? Let's dive in and debunk this junk. The three myths in question today (in no particular order) are:

1. The lowest calorie option is also the healthiest.
2. Eating after 7pm causes weight gain.
3. You need to sweat to gain the benefits of exercise.

Myth: The lowest calorie option is also the healthiest.Truth: All calories are not created equal. Tracking calories can be helpful in many different scenarios, but it's important to know that calorie count is far from the whole picture. Take a look at the picture above, with chips on the left and apples on the right. Both plates have 200 calories worth of food on them... One plate is more filling and will give you much cleaner and healthier energy (I'll let you guess which one that is). If you're somebody who is strict about your calorie intake, I encourage you to please do some research about all of the different kinds of calories and their effects on your body. In my experience, a more mindful selection of food can be more beneficial than restricting calories.

‍

‍Myth: Eating after 7pm causes weight gain.

‍Truth: Be mindful of your body and eat when you're hungry. I talk about this almost every time I talk about... well anything really! You want to eat healthier? Have more energy? Form a better relationship with food? Mindfulness is the key.

If you learn to listen, your body will tell you when it's hungry. And that is the time when you should be eating. Everybody's schedule is different, and plenty of perfectly healthy people ending up eating later than 7pm.  No matter when you end up eating, it's important to note here that routine is one of the most effective tools in developing healthier eating habits. For example, eating a late dinner shouldn't be the same thing as eating an extra dinner.

‍

Myth: You need to sweat to gain the benefits of exercise.

Truth: Exercise is almost always beneficial. One of the healthiest, most effective exercising habits I've come across in all of my time as a health expert is... (drumroll please)

‍

Walking. That's why I've been so adamant about asking my tribe to try and get in their 10,000 steps even during quarantine. Does walking at a steady pace have the same effect as a more intense and specialized training program? Obviously not. But depending on your fitness goals, walking could be better or worse! No two people have the same reactions to the same type of exercise, but it's a big mistake to say that exercise is useless unless it's extremely difficult. Getting your blood flowing and your muscles working even in brief intervals is extremely beneficial to your health. If you notice you've been reading emails for more than 20 minutes today, take a break and do 10 jumping jacks! It helps.

For another great, simple exercise that you can do right from home...

‍

Try out this portable elliptical that I've been constantly recommending to my friends.

‍Inmotion Elliptical

‍