This Halloween don’t be scared of these myths regarding your health & fitness
Sugar/Carbs are bad + make you fat & bloated
Sugar and carbs aren’t bad. They aren’t the devil. They can be very much a part of a well balanced lifestyle.
They get a bad rep as most carb/sugar sources are processed food, that are high in calories and highly palatable making them: easy to over eat ——> consuming higher calories ——> gaining fat
This doesn’t necessarily make them a devil. More than what we eat, it’s our relationship with food and eating habits that define our health in the longer run.
Strength training doesn’t make you bulky || light weight + high reps make you lean
Gaining fat/losing fat is purely based on the amount of energy you consume. If you consume more than you burn, you gain. If you burn more than you consume, you lose. Strength training is important for long term health.
Train to get strong & healthy, focus on nutrition to meet your goals.
7/8 hours of sleep is absolute
It is the magic number but not the only truth. If you’re not focussing on what you do throughout the day that affects the quality, continuity and the regularity of your sleep, the quantity of your sleep is very minuscule especially if you’re calculating time spent in bed as compared to the actual time you were asleep.
Supplements are not natural/bad for you
Supplements aren’t bad. The name itself is supplement - addition to your regular diet if your nutritional needs aren’t being fulfilled. If you have certain deficiencies, supplements are a great way to remove them. I do highly recommend Omega 3, multi vitamin and Vitamin D to most people as they can benefit from these rest it per need basis.
You should stay away from gluten/dairy
Gluten/Dairy isn’t bad. Yes people have intolerances towards them but people are also allergic to mushrooms, shellfish, nuts etc. Every body is different and so is the harvest of different areas due to soil, fertilisers, climate etc. See what works for you and what doesn’t work for you but don’t be scared of food.
You need sweat it out/ feel the burn to have a successful workout or workout everyday
A great workout is the one that solves a long term purpose and helps get healthier. Sometimes it can be a stretch or a walk or a squat or a sport. You don’t need to kill yourself everyday in order to achieve health, that’s just masochistic. Your training needs to aid to your life and help you recover better overall as compared to adding to the stressors in your life. I go many sessions without sweating. Listen to your body and its needs or find someone who does.
Calories aren’t the absolute truth
While Calorie in vs calorie out is the absolute truth for weight loss. It’s just a small part of good nutrition. Structuring your whole diet on the basis of calories is like buying a car purely on for mileage. What about features, colour, style, brand etc. A calorie centred diet is neither long term nor very sustainable/healthy.
