Avocados and nuts have fats that are good for you
Excessive proteins do more harm than good
Your body does all the detoxing you need
Gluten has not been proven to be fattening
Know what's good for your body
Our society has been attuned to seeing individuals with a certain physical body type. Anyone who does not does not fit into the conventional standards is considered an outlier. However, following crazy diets or starving just to get that perfect beach body can be unhealthy.
We come across numerous tips on how to lose weight and what kind of diet to follow. But not everything we hear or read is right. It is common for people to adopt some shortcuts to fix their weight woes, which later become diet fads.
1. Fats make you fat
Not all fats are bad. Fats found in foods such as nuts, salmon are good for health, and they protect the heart as well. Whereas, the ones found in greasy foods or baked delights increase cholesterol.
It is necessary to include good fats in your diet and pamper yourself occasionally with treats. This makes it easier to stick to your healthy diet plan.
2. Count your calories
Calories are important, but only for understanding portion control. The calories you ingest from different foods are different in nature. The 50 calories you gain from eating a watermelon is different from 50 calories you gain from a pastry.
The quality of calories differs from one another. A dense calorie, such as one from spinach, is nutrient rich. On the contrary, an empty calorie - one you gain from French fries - has almost zero nutrients. It is more important to watch what you eat than how many calories you consume.
3. Load up on proteins
Our body needs three macronutrients: proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Consuming proteins exclusively for weight loss and depriving the body of the other two nutrients is unwise. With a protein diet, you are at the risk of putting too much pressure on your kidneys in addition to depriving your body of necessary fiber and anti-oxidants.
4. Skip breakfast
Breakfast is the most important of all three meals and it shouldn't be missed. Skipping breakfast only makes you overeat during lunch and dinner. Moreover, you tend to feel weak and distracted all morning, since you haven't broken the fast for over 8 hours.
5. Detox
Some fads encourage people to use special cleansers to detox the body. However, these are unnecessary, since your body detoxifies itself naturally without external cleansing agents. Also, these cleansers taste miserable and do little good for your body.
6. Eat raw food only
It is believed that cooking, grilling and microwaving decrease the nutritional value, killing natural enzymes that promote digestion. However, some foods (such as cabbage) can contain parasites and cause stomach infections, if consumed raw.
Cooking helps to kill the microorganisms that cause food-induced infections and boosts certain nutrients like beta-carotene. Cooked food is healthy if prepared with moderate levels of oil and fat.
7. Follow a gluten-free diet
Stalking gluten with pitchforks and torches seems to be the current trend, even when there is no evidence suggesting that gluten is fattening. In reality, cutting down on gluten without consulting your doctor can lead to fiber, iron, vitamin B12, and magnesium deficiencies.
To ensure a healthy body, eat smaller meals at shorter intervals. Replace your fried snacks with nuts and dry fruits that are proven immunity boosters and brain stimulators. Eating healthy whole grains in moderate proportions is recommended, while limiting the frequent consumption of refined grains.
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