There is SO much information out there if you begin to research nutrition advice on Google, so I wanted to take some popular diet myths and bust them here for you while providing REAL nutrition advice you can actually follow.
MYTH #1: You need to do low carb to lose weight.
FACT: Not necessarily, and considering if you’re reading this you most likely do CrossFit I would definitely advise against doing low carb.
Carbs are energy for your body, and if you’re CrossFitting you need energy to fuel your workouts. If you aren’t providing enough energy for your body in the form of carbs, your body needs to go elsewhere for it such as fats and protein.
The low carb fanatics will focus on that piece about your body burning fats for energy, but this isn’t the most efficient way to get energy if you’re not actually reaching ketosis, which most low carb diets don’t successfully help you reach. Plus not every body actually feels good running on fat for fuel. What happens when you run out of fat supply for energy? Your body pulls from your protein sources, which means you’re pulling this key nutrient away from your muscles.
INSTEAD, you should be focusing on eating whole real foods, especially when it comes to your carb sources. Think beans, legumes, rice, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
MYTH #2: You need to restrict “bad” foods for a healthy diet.
FACT: The “eat this, not that” phenomenon has led us to avoid foods we love temporarily only to feel absolutely powerless when we are around those foods.
Think of willpower like a muscle. If you’re restricting foods, you need to use your willpower muscle to prevent yourself from eating them. The more you use that muscle, the more you fatigue the muscle. Eventually it fatigues to the point where you cave and binge on the restricted food leaving you in a worse off place.
INSTEAD give yourself permission to eat the foods you love as well as balance them with a whole, real food diet. When we stop restricting, we find more self control.
MYTH #3: Your weight loss or muscle building goals can all be achieved through quick fix products.
FACT: If the results sound too good to be true, then they are. It’s just a marketing gimmick to take your money, but anything that promises minimal effort with high reward in a short period of time is not offering you sustainable, long-term results.
Diet pills, detox teas, waist trainers, supplements and the likes are no match for well-balanced nutrition, consistent exercise, and quality recovery protocols.
INSTEAD get ready to put in the work and commit to the long haul. Real change takes time, consistency, and hard work BUT once you nail down healthy eating into your habits, you’ll reap the benefits of lifetime success.
Do you have a topic you want covered in next week’s Wellness Wednesday? Ask me here.
Coach Diana Leigh is a Precision Nutrition certified coach who uses habit-based coaching to help her clients get stronger and feel amazing in their bodies without the restriction and overwhelm of dieting. For more helpful tips, follow her on Instagram @coachdianaleigh.
How you can work with Coach Diana:
1:1 Nutrition Coaching: I take you from being dependent on diets to independently intuitive through building foundational nutrition habits and with personalized guidance on portion intake based on your goals for a stronger, leaner, or in general overall healthier body.