“Healthy” Habits Which Are Causing You To Gain Weight

By Jamie Vos in Health and Fitness On 6th January 2016
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When you’re looking for a weight loss advice on the Internet, you are likely to come across some conflicting information. This can make it difficult to choose the proper eating habits for losing weight.

There are many different myths that people know and they can in fact lead to weight gain. When you're trying to watch what you eat and follow healthy eating habits, it is very important that you find an honest advice which is also backed by medical research.

We're now going to present you 8 weight loss habits which are actually myths and can cause you to gain weight. So, next time you're starting a new diet or changing your eating habits, take a look at these common weight loss myths.

Counting Calories

This isn't always the best option for losing weight. It's obvious: if you eat a lot of food, you're going to have trouble losing weight, so cutting calories can have some benefits. However, this shouldn't be the focus of your diet. Just because you're counting calories doesn't mean that you can eat whatever you want.

Many people run into the problem when they're counting calories. Energy bars or granola bars sold with "low-calories" are most often not helpful because they are processed foods.

You should focus more on the food instead on the calories. Look for healthier options, instead of worrying so much about calories.

Tip: You may eat as much fruit and vegetables as you want as they are very healthy and have very low percent of calories.

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Eating Low Fat Foods

Don't be tricked that food with "low fat" on its label is better or will help you lose weight. These foods are not what they claim to be.

A recent study found that 10% of diet foods contain the same or more calories that the regular stuff and 40% of them had more sugar.

When food companies remove fat from their products, they will have to use more sugar, salt and artificial additives in order to make the food taste better. The additives are more harmful than the fat itself.

One research also showed that a "low-fat" nutrition label leads all costumers to overeat, especially the ones who are overweight. This will certainly defeat the purpose of your wanting to eat healthy and lose weight.

Eating A High-Protein Diet

Eating a meaty meal late in the evening isn't desirable as your digestive system slows down at night. The wrong kind of food that you eat at late hours will not be used up as a fuel, but they will be stored away as fats and you'll find them difficult to lose.

Try avoiding these types of food and realize how light you will feel the following morning.

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Avoiding Carbohydrates

The low-carb diets have become a popular way to try and lose weight. While some of them may be useful for dropping a few pounds, studies suggest that they can be bad for your health in the long run.

A very low carb diet can lead to an imbalanced intestinal flora. When you avoid carbs, you're also avoiding important probiotics like soluble fiber and resistant starch.

They are essential for promoting the growth of beneficial intestinal flora. Without them, the flora can't produce as much gut-healing substances and your microbiome composition may even shift in an undesirable direction.

You're only as healthy as your intestines are: unhealthy intestines contribute to everything from obesity and diabetes to digestive illness, autoimmune diseases, skin disorders and various other diseases. Try eating more healthy carbohydrates that you get from fruits and vegetables.

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Avoiding Snacks

This can be a good or bad thing, depending on the snacks you choose. Actually, many nutritionists recommend that you eat several snacks throughout the day or even five to six small meals. This will help keep your metabolism active and improve your digestion, so that you can lose weight a bit easier.

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Salad Is Healthy

Salad isn't always healthy. If you add salad dressings full of unhealthy fat or fried or processed meats, then even a green salad can quickly become an unhealthy meal.

If you want your salad to be a healthy meal, avoid mayonnaise. Prepare your own healthy dressing with balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar with some extra virgin oil and a little bit of honey by taste. Focus on including healthy ingredients dark, leafy greens and other fresh ingredients, such as fruit.

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Avoiding Fat

It's a well-known fact that we should avoid fat as much as possible. What many people don't realize is that there is healthy and unhealthy fat. Actually, fat should comprise at least 20% of your daily calories.

You should avoid:

Vegetable cooking oil

Hydrogenated fats

Transfats

Fried food

Margarine

Vegetable shortening

Baked goods

Processed snack food

Healthy fats which can actually help will your weight loss:

Saturated fats

Coconut oil

Extra virgin olive oil

Avocado

Shea butter

Whole eggs

Fatty fish

Nuts and seeds

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Working Out While Hungry

Many people believe that skipping a meal before a workout can help them burn more fat. The thought process behind this is that you deprive your body of fuel before the workout, so you'll be able to burn more calories. Unfortunately, this isn't a good idea. Your body needs fuel.

A glass of green juice may also keep you feeling full and provide you the energy you need for your workout that will continue burn fats even while you're sleeping.

If you have had trouble losing weight, you should make sure that you aren't following any of these myths before you start a new diet. There is no shortcut to losing weight. If you want to lose several pounds, focus on eating healthy foods.

You don't need to change your diet completely. Try combining some moderate exercise with a healthy meal plan