Muscle Chow

Countless advice, reading hundreds of articles, trying out various means all to get one thing right. Yes, we are talking about your workout regime and the role diet and exercise play when trying to achieve fitness goals. Have you ever wondered why sometimes things just didn’t work? Well! You might’ve been doing something wrong all this while without even realizing.

Let’s see the 8 most common mistakes we do when it comes to diet or exercise.

Myth 1 : The longer you spend in the gym the better

Fact: Training needs to be good quality (technique and intensity) with a clear direction and objective. Spending hours and hours at the gym, or training multiple times a day, may not equal better results.

 “We don’t need to spend hours in the gym to achieve a ‘good’ workout rather make a habit of intuitive eating.

Myth 2 : No pain, No gain

Fact: The ‘no pain, no gain’ myth may lead to unhealthy expectations of what our workouts need to be to see results.

We shouldn’t be too hard as we can be injured or may give up on exercise altogether.”

Myth 3 : Cutting carbs will make you skinny

Fact: There is no need to cut out food groups whether it’s carbs, gluten, fruit or diary.

Many people think that cutting carbs will be a go-to method for quick weight loss, but this may have the opposite effect as people tend to “make up” for low carbs which may lead to lack of energy, low mood, insatiable appetite and low gut function in long term.  

Myth 4 : Eating fat makes you fat

Fact: Healthy fat is not only important for supporting metabolism, it also increases satiety, supporting a healthy mood and reduce food cravings. Compared to carbs and proteins fat contains more calories per gram. Essential fats are a necessary part of our diet. Just like carbs, take a balanced approach, get educated on the right kind of fats to be taken and portions we feel best eating. Check out some ready to eat balanced meal plans here.

Myth 5 : A workout gives a license to eat poorly

Fact: Our weight is mainly determined by what we eat, it comes down to 80 percent food and 20 percent exercise.

It’s a tempting situation: we’ve worked out hard and reward ourselves with a pizza because “the calories won’t count”. Unfortunately, we cannot outrun a bad diet. A lot of people think a workout entitles them to eat poorly for the rest of the whole day. If weight loss is our real goal, this belief will not support us.

“It is also important to focus on adequate refueling to assist our muscle recovery for the next workout, which will help keep an appetite check.”

Want to know more about eating the right food? Read how these 5 foods can enhance your workout results.

Myth 6 : Eating smaller meals through the day is good

Fact: It’s not the number of meals that count but the total amount of food consumed which determines how much energy is actually used. It’s also a fact that eating smaller meals will leave you feeling less satiated, and you might be encouraged to snack too often. The best course of action is to have 3 decent-sized meals per day and then complement those with a couple of small and healthy snacks.

Interestingly, this is one myth that has appeared all of a sudden over the past few years, that eating smaller meals right through the day keeps metabolism levels high.

Myth 7 : Red meat is bad for health

Fact: Red meat contains other nutrients like protein, zinc and iron that are important for health.

So, rather than totally excluding red meat, choose leaner cuts. Remember to have a variety of protein sources such as meat, legumes, egg, poultry, and seafood with fish taken more frequently.

Myth 8 : Carbohydrates should not be eaten with protein

Fact: It is perfectly OK to eat carbs and protein at the same meal. Our digestive system is capable of digesting a large range and combination of food at the same time.

Some of our foods like pasta, milk, yogurt or legumes naturally contain both carbohydrate and protein together.

Eat smart, eat right

All this talk about popular diet and myths can get a little overwhelming at times and you might be left in a limbo when it comes to making the right food choices. All you need is the right food that brings out the desired result after an intense workout.

STAY STRONG, STAY HEALTHY