23 | Nutrition Magazine October 20 1 5
Good Eat ing Habit s # Myt hs
Think of your body as a precision machine. It has countless intricate parts that work
together to perform amazing functions. And like any machine, it needs to be regularly
maintained and properly fueled.
Your body needs to be fueled with the right nutrients in order to run at its maximum
capacity. Following good eating habits is important to your overall health, but you also
need to be able to sift through the layers of poor information.
1. "You should work out on an empty stomach." This is definitely a myth. The rumbling
in your stomach is trying to tell you something, and it's not that you need to dash to the
gym. Ignore those tummy rumbles and you're forcing your body's engine to run on
empty. Always be sure that you have a light snack, such as a piece of fruit, before any
physical activity.
2. "Energy bars and drinks are good meal replacements." Wrong again. While these can
be fine on the fly or in a pinch, meal replacement bars and drinks are no match for a
properly balanced diet. In order to get the antioxidants you need, reach for fruits and
vegetables for a boost of vitamins, fiber, minerals and fluid.
3. "Breakfast isn't important". Of course, your mother was right about this one. Breakfast
is and will always be the most important meal of the day. Eating a healthy breakfast gives
your body the supercharge it needs to meet the challenges of the day. Skipping breakfast
robs your body of precious fuel, and will leave you feeling tired and hungry all day long.
4. "Low carb diets offer all the nutrients you need." While low-carb diets can be
beneficial for weight loss, they are not great for all-around good health. Your body needs
carbohydrates to store energy and develop muscle tissue.
5. "Eat what you want, when you want." If only life were that easy. Just because you're
making some good food choices and exercising regularly, doesn't necessarily give you
license to eat everything you want. Balance is the key. You can't eat only cheese and no
fruit or vegetables and expect to lead a healthy life.
6. "Cut as many calories as you can." While losing weight does involve cutting calories,
you should never run on too short a fuel supply. Trim your calories wisely, and aim for a
healthy weight loss of one or two pounds per week. If you start to drop weight too
quickly, add a little more food to bring your daily calorie count up.