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It wasn’t until a year ago that I started to pay attention to the things I ate. And I took on my new knowledge of what’s nutritious, how to lose weight, and how to really exercise…well…kicking and screaming.
I was always that bitch with the really fast metabolism who didn’t gain weight. I’d come home and go from eating a can of Pringles to an entire pint of Ben & Jerry’s–easily. I never was really out of shape, however, I did slowly become more concerned with being healthy. So what if I could eat a bucket of lard for dinner? That didn’t mean it was doing my health any wonders or that I felt GOOD after one of my binges.
Plus, I didn’t think it’d kill me to be trim if losing weight did end up being the outcome of the diet change. Now that I’ve been in great shape for about nine months, I’ve learned that a lot of people who ask me how I stay healthy believe a lot of bullsh%t diet myths.
And as long as people who want to be healthier and lose weight the RIGHT way keep holding onto these dumb ideas about “what works”, I’m going to have to deal with a lot more insecure types who can’t shed their extra pounds…so I may as well present to you all with the truth.
1. You’ve gotta watch your drinks. You’re aren’t much better off with drinks like Gatorade and Vitamin Water or even lots of teas than you are with sodas, calorie wise. Of course there are differences when it comes down to nutrients, but if you’re trying to lose weight…switch all of your drinks to water so you can save calorie room for those alcohol and caffeine splurges. Once you get used to drinking water with every meal, you won’t even be able to tolerate drinking sodas and juices as thirst quenchers.
2. People say that eating before you go to bed will make you gain weight. Those people are wrong. Taking in more calories on any given day than what you’re burning is what will make you burn fat. The problem with eating late at night is that you usually have already reached your calorie limit for the day.
3. Carbs are not going to make you gain weight. As I stated above, the only thing that makes you gain weight is taking in more calories than you are burning. Carbs happen to usually accompany calories, however. They are actually WONDERFUL energy foods to eat before the gym, a hike, or a long day of work. The problem is that they taste great and people often times don’t think about them in terms of how much energy they will be burning.
The most important thing that I learned, however, was that getting healthy and losing weight is part of a LIFESTYLE change. You can, of course, indulge in bad things now and then. However, you need to be very disciplined most days if you want this to work.
Know any other diet myths? Do share!
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2 Comments
I’ve long been a believer in the theory that weight gain or loss is derived from a person’s net caloric intake, but it’s probably a good idea to explain some of the logic behind the other theories as well.
In the case of low-carb diets, the operating theory is that carbohydrates are quickly converted into fat by the body - true, but only if the carbs aren’t used for energy first. Carbs offer an immediate energy boost when eaten, because they are pretty easy for the body to break down. Where low-carb nutritionists claim carbs become a problem is the point at which they are stored as fat. The theory is that once a food is stored as fat, the body must invest a certain amount of energy in the use of that resource. That is that it takes a certain amount of energy to convert fat into usable energy, and that that amount is more than the amount it would take to convert protein into usable energy. The argument is that unless carbs are quickly burned off, they will be stored as fat, and fat reserves will be burned after protein reserves, such as muscle.
The eating before going to bed theory works on the same principle - not using food right away causes problems. The idea here is that you don’t use much energy while you sleep, and the food you’ve just consumed will be stored as fat, no matter what you ate.
For those of you still reading, cutting out sugary drinks is always a good idea, but switching to diet drinks isn’t necessarily a better answer. I personally was raised on diet soft drinks, but I’ve cut them out of my diet. The problem with diet drinks isn’t risk of cancer or phenylketoneuria or any of those ailments. Those are unproven claims of very low risks. The problem is that apparently, the artificial sweeteners in diet drinks cause you to crave sweets later on, and that without knowing it, you consume more sweets, and accordingly, more calories. Personally, I find that the healthiest way to go is to drink water often, and when you need something sweet, try something that gives you vitamins as well - like juice. I’m also a big milk person, but that’s beside the point. Just be careful how many calories you’re getting from those things - juice has a lot of sugar, even 100% juice.
Anyway, now that I’ve rambled, I’ll shut up.
P.S. In point #2, you accidentally mentioned that “Taking in more calories on any given day than what you’re burning is what will make you BURN FAT,” when I think you want to say “lose weight.”
First of all, I applaud Elizabeth for posting this article. Secondly, I like the additions that Andy had. I have spent more than a little time researching nutrition, with an emphasis on the aesthetic perspective, and have a few things I want to add.
1st- Eating just before sleeping: It is very common for people to believe that this will cause a gain in fat, and the logic behind this belief is very reasonable. Your Net Calories for ANY given time, but whether those calories come from carbs, protein, or fat DOES matter. It matters just as much as whether you just want to lose weight (fat & muscle) or if you want to lose body fat. Yes- carbs are rapidly converted to glucose (blood sugar), and often can result in fat gain. This actually has much more effect than most people realize because it also effects hormone levels that STIMULATE storing fat (Insulin). Furthermore, consuming more carbs just before working out is only good if you NEED the extra energy to workout IN PLACE OF using energy store within your body to fuel that workout.
Wow, i could go on forever, but i’ll spare all of the 5 people who will ever read this far.
Basically- Net Calories effect weight gain/loss, but calorie SOURCES and TIMING of eating effect weight gain/loss AND whether that gain/loss comes from muscle or fat.
The number 1 rule- do not eat a meal/snack comprised of only carbohydrates. ALWAYS include a source of protein and fat. protein and fat help to reduce the carb-initiated spike in Insulin, helping to reduce the immediacy of the body’s “use-it-or-store” response.
Keep in mind, there’s a difference between “weight loss” and “fat loss”.
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