Myth Busting!

Hi everyone! I hope you are having a great week. It is so beautiful today in southern Cali and I'm sitting on my rooftop deck answering emails and I had to take a break and share a little with you all! It amazes me how I get the same questions over and over again about some crazy nutrition myths that just never seem to die!! Here are a four over the hill myths that I thought I help bust for you all!

MYTH: Low carb diets are the only way to lose weight.

A low fat diet with a balance of carbs and protein is the only diet that has stood the test of time for successful weight loss. The only way to lose weight and keep it off is to consume less calories then you expend. Fat has 9 calories per gram, so it’s easy to cut calories by trimming fat.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 20 to 35% of dietary calories come from fat, 10-35% from protein, and 45 to 65% from Carbohydrates. All of these macronutrients, as well as micronutrients (vitamins and Minerals) are essential in the proper amounts for optimal health. From a heart health perspective, the healthiest over all meal plan is a Mediterranean diet which is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and omega-3 fatty acids from fish, and low in saturated fat, sodium and added sugar.

A diet void of carbs will do you more harm then good and will set you up long term failure. If you are going to cut carbs, cut out the overly processed carbs that are full of sugar and white flour and eat whole grains, fruits, and veggies.

MYTH: Not eating is the best way to lose weight.

Not eating unhealthy high calorie foods is the best way to lose weight, period. If you do not get enough calories, your body will out smart you and store fat because it knows it is not going to get what it needs. Your body could go into starvation mode and your metabolism will slow to a crawl in an effort to conserve its energy stores. This is why people who cut their calories too low may hit a plateau and not loss weight.

MYTH: Eating late at night will cause you to gain weight

Weight gain occurs when you consume more calories then you expend, whether that occurs in the middle of the day, morning, or at night. Eating late at night will not cause you to gain weight. However, people who eat a lot of food late at night tend to mindlessly consume more calorie dense foods through unhealthy snacking. Balance your calories throughout the day and if you choose to eat late at night account for it in your daily balance.

MYTH: Grapefruit and cabbage will speed up your metabolism

We’ve all heard of the crazy diets out there that promise a “magical compound” found in certain foods. Bottom line, there is no magic bullet to weight loss and there is no food that will help you burn more calories. The only way to speed up your metabolism is to exercise and build muscle.