| Myths, Lies and Propaganda about Eating and | | | | chapter on "Six Keys to Permanent Weight-loss"). |
| Weight Loss | | | | Increased stress can even cause your body to |
| | | | store more fat. That's right. Your body has a |
| Throughout my career in the military I have | | | | protective mechanism when it's stressed by |
| come across a variety of tall tales about eating | | | | dieting. Merely cutting back on calories without |
| and exercise. The extent of misinformation is so | | | | eating healthy or exercising will cause you to lose |
| great that you'd think we were dealing with Cold | | | | good, lean, muscle mass. This means that your |
| War propaganda. If a lie is told frequently enough | | | | body has practiced cannibalism on itself and is |
| it is treated as the truth. I have revealed here | | | | "eating" your flesh. As you can see, you will |
| seven myths about eating. | | | | actually create a whole array of health issues if |
| Seven Myths about Eating and Weight Loss | | | | you listen to the enemy on this one. |
| Eating Myth #1: Eating fat is bad for you. | | | | Eating Myth #3: You can eat as much as you |
| The Truth: Eat fat, Soldier! It's good for you. Just | | | | want, if you are eating healthy foods. |
| don't eat too much, and stay away from bad fat. | | | | The Truth: No! Even if you are healthy and |
| If you want to be healthy, you must have body | | | | exercise regularly, overeating healthy food choices |
| fat, and you must eat fat. Don't eat too much, | | | | lead to poor performance and reduced energy. |
| and make sure that the fat you eat is the good | | | | After trampling through all the other land mines (= |
| stuff. Eliminate the bad fats first. Trans fats and | | | | myths) above, this should be an easy one for |
| hydrogenated fats are bad news for the body. | | | | you. This myth focuses on the quality of food |
| Stay away from them. Trans fats and | | | | while disregarding the quantity. Truly healthy |
| hydrogenated fats are almost exclusively found in | | | | eating focuses both on the quantity and quality of |
| processed foods. Read the labels and you will | | | | food. |
| quickly learn about the sources of these bad fats. | | | | Eating Myth #4: You can eat whatever you want, |
| Saturated fats can also be a source of | | | | if you work out regularly. |
| artery-clogging and cholesterol-increasing fats. So | | | | The Truth: No! Unhealthy food choices reduce |
| where do you get those good fats? You get | | | | energy and physical and mental performance. |
| them from plant products (plant-based oils and | | | | Would you ever hear a race-car driver say, "I'm |
| nuts). Your best bet is to look for plant-based | | | | going to put low-octane fuel in that gas tank. |
| fats that contain predominantly monounsaturated | | | | After all, this car gets worked regularly." |
| fats and a lesser amount of polyunsaturated fats. | | | | Performance and energy would suffer and races |
| Olive oil fits this description. No more than 30 % | | | | would be lost. It is no different with the human |
| of your daily caloric intake should be made up of | | | | body. Put low-octane fuel (= unhealthy food |
| fat (example: one tablespoon of olive oil has 120 | | | | choices) in your body, and your performance will |
| calories). Some athletes, like professional soccer | | | | suffer. You will have less energy and more health |
| players, actually consciously increase their fat | | | | issues. Poor food choices will impact your mood, |
| intake to as high as 40% due to special athletic | | | | compromise your immune system, and get your |
| needs. | | | | hormones out of whack. Need I say more? |
| Let's take a quick look at what fat is used for in | | | | Occasional indulgence in food and drink, even if it |
| the body: | | | | may be "low-octane fuel," will probably not |
| - Stores energy. | | | | negatively impact your overall health. Occasional |
| - Gives shape to your body. | | | | means no more than once a week. |
| - Serves as a protective cushion to your skin. | | | | Eating Myth #5: Eating late at night will cause you |
| - Insulates the body to reduce heat loss. | | | | to gain extra weight. |
| - Is a part of every cell membrane in the body. | | | | The Truth: Eating a regular meal after 8:00 PM |
| - Is essential to brain and nerve cells function. | | | | does not cause weight gain. If you are hungry |
| - Serves as a protective cushion around your | | | | and are considering missing a meal because it's |
| internal organs. | | | | late, by all means, eat something. Weight gain is |
| - Is an integral part of many hormones and other | | | | caused by eating too much and/or not exercising |
| biochemicals, such as Vitamin D. | | | | regularly. We all do not have the same schedules, |
| Eating Myth #2: The best way to lose weight is | | | | so we have to design our own eating plans. Eat at |
| to cut back on the calories. | | | | least three times a day with one or two |
| The Truth: Exercising and eating right are the best | | | | (unprocessed) healthy snacks, if necessary. We |
| ways to lose excess weight. | | | | generally want to avoid eating less than an hour |
| The best weight-loss is one where you watch the | | | | before bed only to prevent digestive sleep |
| quantity and quality of food you eat and exercise | | | | interruptions, which may result in some very |
| regularly. If you just reduce calories, especially | | | | interesting dreams. |
| without exercising, your metabolism will slow | | | | Eating Myth #6: Skipping meals is a good strategy |
| down to compensate for the reduction, and your | | | | to cut back on calories and lose weight. |
| weight-loss strategy is out the window. (See the | | | | |