We all want to live a healthy lifestyle by improving our diets and exercising more. However, healthy eating myths commonly prevent people from successfully building better eating habits. There are endless resources with even more recommendations for improving your health through your diet. The information is helpful in some cases but can be misleading or outright incorrect. Here are some of the more common myths surrounding healthy eating to keep an eye out for during your research.
1: You can’t eat your favorite foods – Our favorite foods are only sometimes the healthiest. That does not mean that you need to stop eating them. Moderation is key, whether your goal is to lose weight or improve your diet. The healthy eating myths that tell you to eliminate something from your diet overlook this. If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you’ll lose weight. If you are trying to build a healthier diet, reducing the amount of calorie-rich foods is a better plan for long-term success than eliminating the meals you love.
2: You should avoid carbs and fats – Low-carb, low-fat, and fat-free diets are popular ways to eat healthier. However, doing this can be deceiving, as our bodies need carbohydrates and fats. Fats help us feel fuller longer than fat-free products. Reducing them can help you lose weight, as can reducing the amount of processed foods. Reduced-fat and low-fat foods often have added sugar or sodium.
3: Vegetarian diets help you lose weight and are healthier – A vegetarian diet is often recommended for those looking to eat healthier and potentially lose weight. While it’s true that plant-based diets offer health benefits, including reduced obesity rates, lower blood pressure, and a lower risk for heart disease, it’s a healthy eating myth that you’ll automatically shed pounds by going vegetarian. Weight loss is still dependent on your overall calorie intake. It’s also important to note that not all vegetarian diets are the same. Vegan diets, for instance, exclude all animal products, while other variations allow you to eat milk and eggs. Vegetarians also need non-meat protein sources like nuts and beans.
4: Healthy eating is expensive – One of the most common healthy eating myths is that your budget will suffer. More nutritious food can be expensive, but planning and at-home meal prep can help offset this. Shopping for seasonal fruits and vegetables, looking for sales, and preparing meal services can be budget-friendly.
We make healthy prepared meals at Fresh Fit Foods and conveniently deliver them to your door. They have fresh, local ingredients with your health in mind. You can avoid healthy eating myths and start improving your diet today by giving us a try. Contact us or call (239) 595-2503 to learn more about our meal plans.