New health trends pop up every year. While some work, some often do not. The following are a few health trends that are not only ineffective, but that could actually cause you to gain weight.
1. USING COCONUT OIL IN EVERYTHING
Coconut oil has been featured as a healthy dietary option in countless places over the past few years, including health food stores. This is because it increases HDL cholesterol, which is the good cholesterol.
However, it also increases the LDL cholesterol, which is the bad cholesterol. There’s also a misconception that it metabolizes in a way that results in less fat production. The thing is, it’s still about 90 percent saturated fat, making it a less healthy option compared to olive oil or avocado oil.
2. SUBSTITUTING COW’S MILK WITH NUT MILK
Cow’s milk has a reputation for being high in calories, which is why many people are replacing it with nut milk, such as almond, cashew or hazelnut milk.
While nut milk does have fewer calories, you need to be careful. First of all, nut milk doesn’t contain nearly as many nutrients as cow’s milk. Secondly, it often contains sugar added for flavor. In fact, some brands of nut milk have as much as seven grams more of sugar per cup than cow’s milk.
If you don’t have an allergy to milk or lactose, you don’t need to avoid cow’s milk. Instead, opt for a healthier low-fat version.
3. CUTTING TOO MANY CALORIES
People often want instant results, which is why they choose an extreme diet to lose a substantial amount of weight in a short period of time. No matter what type of diet this might be, it’s generally a bad idea.
If you cut out too many calories in too short of a period of time, it causes your metabolism to slow down temporarily. This is because your body needs to conserving energy so that you don’t lose weight too quickly.
Additionally, you’ll end up losing muscle as well as fat. If you plan on dieting to lose weight, create long-term goals and don’t reduce your calorie intake too significantly.
4. NOT EATING BEFORE YOU EXERCISE
Some people assume that, if they don’t eat before they exercise, they’ll end up burning more fat during their workout. This is horribly misguided.
You need to eat beforehand to provide your body with fuel to exercise. Otherwise, you won’t be able to exercise for as long or as hard, which means you likely won’t lose as much weight — especially if you end up overeating afterward.
5. SUPPRESSING HUNGER
Suppressing your hunger is never a good idea. Trying to power through without eating in order to lose weight typically results in overeating the next time you allow yourself to eat. It’s better to snack on something healthy when you’re hungry so that you won’t require such a big meal later on.
6. STOCKING UP ON LOW-FAT FOODS
If you’re going on a diet, why wouldn’t you stock up on low-fat foods?
Low-fat foods aren’t inherently unhealthy. The problem is, many people lose track of how much they’re eating. Just because a food is low-fat doesn’t mean it’s fat-free. Studies have shown that people who eat low-fat food tend to eat much more of it, often consuming more fat in the process than they would had they eaten the regular non-low-fat version.
Need To Lose Weight? Hit The Gym!
These are six health trends that you should avoid as they could actually cause weight gain. If you’re looking to lose weight the healthy way, check out the customizable membership options at the Amarillo Town Club.
