Diet dogma has a life of its own. Even when science reveals the truth behind a diet fad or web rumor, the myth lingers. Even nutritionally savvy people hold tight to a myth or two. Here are three mistaken identities in the diet arena.
1. Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.
Just the opposite. Research repeatedly shows that people who eat regularly, starting with breakfast, have lower body weights are better nourished, think more clearly, and feel better than people who eat erratically. In contrast, meal skippers are more prone to weight problems, probably because once they do eat, they eat too much of all the wrong stuff. Researchers at the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR), an on-going research study based at Brown University that monitors people who have successfully maintained a weight loss of more than sixty pounds for at least five years, report that spacing food evenly throughout the day, starting with breakfast, is key to weight-loss success.
2. Eating healthy costs too much.
Nice try, but no go. With a little planning, eating well can actually cost less than typical fast-food fare. Granted, wild salmon and imported olive oil cost more than a Happy Meal, but you need to factor in the hidden costs of a high-fat diet. Supersized portions of cheap food appear to be a great deal until you factor in the added costs of wardrobes, weight management programs, health care costs, and lost days of work due to complications of being overweight, then it’s not such a bargain.
You don’t need to go broke to eat well. After all, pound for pound, health-boosting oatmeal, beans, and apples are a whole lot cheaper than eggs and bacon, steak, or even chips. To pare down the food bill, buy less expensive produce such as apples, oranges, carrots, and cabbage; look for specials and use coupons; buy in bulk items such as oatmeal, rice, nuts, and staples; shop at warehouse clubs where larger quantities also are less expensive; switch to beans which are much less expensive than meat; bring food with you so you’re not tempted to impulse buy expensive items; and buy generic store brands of frozen vegetables, canned fruit, milk, and other items that typically cost less than brand names.
3. There is no such thing as good foods and bad foods.
Yeah, yeah, there are only good and bad diets, right? In general, that could be considered true, but come on! In a country faced with epidemics of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, and a population where indulgence is a daily routine, what is good about a fried pork rind? Nutrition-wise a can of cheese whiz doesn’t hold a candle to a mango! And if having cookies in the house triggers a person to binge, then that food could be a problem simply because it results in unhealthy behaviors. That doesn’t mean you can’t have your cake, chocolate, or chips, but only once in a while and in reasonable portions, such as a can of soda at a baseball game, not every day. Instead, stock the kitchen with ‘good’ foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grain bread, canned tomatoes and beans, and low-fat yogurt or soymilk.
