Myth ? : Potatoes and your diet ---
Potatoes are fattening .
Truth :
Potatoes in itself are not fattening , but French Fries are . It really depends on how they are prepared that adds up the calories . Adding a dollop of sour crème and bacon bits piles up the calories .
Potatoes baked in their skins are good .
Myth ? : Jam and your diet ---
Jam is fattening and bad for dieting teenagers .
Truth :
Jam as compared to butter is not at all 'bad' .
In fact it is quite alright for overweight people who are dieting to have a slice of jam on toast rather than BUTTER on toast or BUTTER AND JAM on toast . This is of course assuming that other things are in balance like exercise etc for eg .
Jam is mostly carbohydrates ( starches , sugars ) which is more easily 'burned off ' .
Butter on the other hand has nothing but pure fat as a base . Fat ( and protein )does not get used as an immediate source of energy . This means that it is more likely to get stored .
Myth ? : Fat and your diet ---
A person who is dieting should not have any fat in his diet .
Truth :
Fat is an essential though minor part of a person's diet .
Fat is necessary for the transport of fat soluble vitamins like Vit. A and Vit. D . So a person who is watching his diet still needs a minimal amount of fat in his meals .
Myth ? : Is being thin really the best ?
Thin is 'in' . Thin is beautiful .
Truth :
This is false . Being excessively underweight is just as bad as being overweight . Some people can eat a lot but still remain thin . Sounds like haven ? Not really … A thin person can have a very high level of cholesterol . He could be a walking time bomb , a potential victim of a heart attack or blocked arteries . Because he is thin he eats carelessly thinking that it won't affect him .
Anorexics who have dieted to the point of near death will also find that their bodies do not function normally . They may even go into cardiac arrest for the lack of proper nutrition .
Myth ? : To skip breakfast or not to skip breakfast ?
I should skip meals especially breakfast if I am dieting .
Truth :
Of all the meals , breakfast is the most important . Think about it this way . Overnight your body is at rest either digesting it's last meal over say about 4 hours , or repairing itself . In the morning blood sugar levels tend to be low . If you were to eat a good breakfast , it would stand a good chance of getting well absorbed or used up over the morning . Any other meal especially supper ( if taken directly before sleep ) has a higher chance of being stored as fat .
This is because the calories and nutrients are digested but used only minimally over the sleeping hours . Small but frequent meals are actually better for weight loss than three BIG meals a day . The calories stand a higher chance of being used up .
Myth ? : Smoking and weight loss ---
Smoking is great for losing weight .
Truth :
Nicotine is a stimulant . It speeds up the heart rate and people sometimes get nervy and jumpy without it . it is a physical addiction . It also dulls the taste buds and appetite . Once a smoker gives up cigarettes he finds that his sense of taste will sharpen after some months .
Smokers tend to find that once they try and kick the habit , they eat more to replace the feeling and security of wanting something in their mouth and hand . This can be dealt with by proper exercise and a balanced diet .
Giving up smoking is not an excuse for gaining weight this way . Over the months poisons from the cigarettes are expelled . You will feel fresher and healthier . In fact whether or not you are dieting you should not be smoking .
