During any fitness and health program, diet is often one of the aspects that you focus on. There is so much conflicting advice on the web which can make achieving our personal goals difficult. Here are some common nutrition mistakes:
Too much focus on protein:
Although protein can help to build muscle and lose weight, it’s not the only variable to focus on. Having a protein shake after exercising does not mean that your body is getting everything that it needs. Your body needs a variety of vitamins and minerals from a wide range of foods, and food types.
Eating too little fat:
Fat is not bad for you. In fact, fat is one of the most essential parts of your diet in terms of health and weight management. Pretty much every single cell in your body is surrounded by a fatty membrane (fat is especially important for healthy skin and hair), so an adequate intake of dietary fat is essential to keep your body working properly. Fat also contains essential vitamins that can’t be found in any other type of food!
Low fat diets can mean that you are deficient in Essential Fatty acids (Omega 3, 6). Being low in such fats can impair fat metabolism, reduce energy levels and cause a host of other health related problems.
Essential fatty Acids (Omega 3,6,9) are important for the following reasons:
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Are required to absorb vital vitamins (Vitamins A, D, E, K)
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Can improve insulin sensitivity – help to regulate blood sugar
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Are essential for joint health
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Required for energy transfer
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Required of oxygen transfer
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Can reduce inflammation
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Help digestion
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Improve skin texture (dry skin is a sign of deficiency)
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Maintain cell membrane health
Cut out grains for weight loss:
To lose weight, some people may choose not to have grains because it’s believed to help with weight loss. Studies show that intaking grains has lots of benefits, including decreasing your risk of heart disease and cancer; keeping your blood sugar regulated. Healthy grains could help you feel full, provide you with lots of good nutrients and sometimes can actually decrease your food intake. Think about China or Japan where a main staple food is rice – is obesity a problem for them?
Ignore good nutrition and focus too heavily on calories
For your body to function at its fullest it needs a wide range of vitamins and minerals, either from the foods you eat or supplements. Take magnesium as an example, it helps oxygen delivery, muscle contraction and can help sleep quality. Magnesium can be found in whole grains, spinach, cashews, black beans and dark chocolate. It can also be taken in supplement form. If you are deficient in certain mineral, supplements may be useful, however try and focus on good nutrition over popping pills.
Making healthy changes to your diet can be difficult. If you need some suggestions, ask a personal trainer for some guidance.
For more information, you can find some nutrition tips here:
