Thursday, March 20, 2008

Medifast and Diet Myths - Some Truths to Weight Loss

There are many myths out there about dieting and weight loss. These are some of them and the truths. It is worth pointing out that common sense needs to take a front seat to any special diet plan or diet trick or weight loss strategy that may be popular or appealing. The truth is that it seems these days that 'common sense is the least common thing'. Why is that? Why is it that we can't just understand that "foods" and beverages that are processed are not really foods or beverages at all, just edible consumable junk. The only diet that we need is one full of fruits and vegetables, a plant-based diet, and lean protein sources like fish, bean, lentils. Food makers have created such "tasty" and addictive food that we just can't seem to resist the tens of thousands of choices that aren't plant-based or from Mother Nature. In fact, the only diet we really need to know are the things we can pick, pull, or catch from the Earth. Here are 10 diet myths as reported on Savannah Morning News --

10 diet myths
Low-fat! Low-carb! Eat all day! Don't eat after 8! Finally, the honest to goodness truth about how to keep your weight under control.

1. Don't eat after 8 p.m.
The theory: You burn up the food you eat earlier in the day, while late-night calories sit in your system and turn into fat.
The reality: Calories can't tell time. "Your body digests and uses calories the same way morning, noon and night," says Mary Flynn, Ph.D., a research dietitian at the Miriam Hospital, in Providence.
The best advice: Pace your eating. Being so hungry that you grab whatever is at hand means you're more likely to make poor choices. "Don't go longer than about five hours without eating," says Jo Ann Hattner, a registered dietitian and a nutrition consultant in San Francisco.

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2. Eating small, frequent meals boosts your metabolism.
The theory: If you keep adding small amounts of food to your fire (the fire being your metabolism), you will keep it going strong and burn more calories overall.
The reality: Food intake has a negligible effect on metabolism. More muscles and bigger bodies generally burn more calories overall.
The best advice: Build up your muscles. A pound of fat-free tissue burns about 14 calories a day, while a pound of fat burns just 2 to 3 calories. If you hate lifting weights, you can maintain your muscles by going to a Pilates, body-sculpting or power-yoga class two to three times a week.

3. Pasta makes you fat.
The theory: When you eat carbohydrates, your body turns them into sugars, which are then stored as fat.
The reality: Carbohydrates per se don't make you fat; extra calories do.,
The best advice: Pasta in moderation is fine. Dietitians recommend 2 or 3 ounces of uncooked noodles per person or half of a 1-pound box to serve a family of four. For some delicious pasta dishes, go to www.realsimple.com/healthypasta. continue on for all 10...

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