There is such an overwhelming amount of information being exchanged in terms of weight loss and ways to be “healthy.” It is always important to remember that we are all designed differently and everyone’s body responds differently to different things - hence, our Live YOUR Fit mantra.

So why not tackle some of the myths that we have encountered when it comes to adjusting our lifestyles in an effort to become more healthy? If we are being honest, we’ve even fallen victim to one or two of them ourselves.

A Good Workout = A Cheat Meal

The treadmill told you that you burned off 1500 calories, but those estimated machine readouts are not always accurate. It’s near impossible to out-exercise a bad diet unless you plan to spend half your day in the gym. You must workout and eat smart to see results.

Organic Food is Healthier than the Alternative

The word organic is great, but it’s also misleading. Organic means a food is grown without pesticides or other chemicals and is not genetically modified. But has nothing to do with the nutrient value of the food itself, or whether it’s a good dietary choice. It can still have large amounts of fat, sugar, or starch. Organic sugar is still sugar. Organic white flour is still white flour. Organic butter is still butter. It is important to understand that the removal of pesticides does not equal a healthier option as it relates to weight lost. It does however equate to a healthier item in direct correlation to the amound of toxins you are allowing into your temple.

Cleanses and detoxes are a good way to aide in weight loss.

Nobody needs to detox.

Unless you've been poisoned, you have a built-in, super-efficient system for filtering out most of the harmful substances you eat. It's made up of two toxin-bashing organs: the liver and the kidneys. Our kidneys filter our blood and remove any waste from our diet, and our livers process medications and detoxify any chemicals we ingest. Paired together, these organs make our bodies natural cleansing powerhouses. So if you just feel like eliminating certain foods from your diet for a short period of time because it makes your body feel better, or maybe it is a mind thing..then by all means go ahead BUT if the main reasoning behind the short-term shift is weight loss then you are wasting your time.

You can’t eat after 7pm

It doesn't matter what time of day you eat. It is what and how much you eat and how much physical activity you do during the whole day that determines whether you gain, lose, or maintain your weight. No matter when you eat, your body will store extra calories as fat. If you want a snack before bedtime, think first about how much and what exactly you've eaten that day. If you have been consuming whole foods, primarily fruits and vegetables then you are in a different scenario than those of us who have may have been devouring processed foods for the majority of the day. Those are the factors that need to be taken into consideration.

Wait Until You're Hungry to Eat.

Photo by Mc Jefferson Agloro on Unsplash

By waiting to eat until you're hungry, your hunger simply builds and builds until it's at its peak causing your appetite to spiral out of control. In fact, new research reveals that by skipping breakfast, you'll end up eating more calories in total and making less healthy food choices throughout the day than you would have otherwise. Research also shows that missing the first meal of the day (breakfast) activates your body's insulin response, triggering fat storage and weight gain.