To live a healthy lifestyle, you must ignore myths and make fact-based decisions about your health. For example, we frequently hear that healthy food is not delicious and more expensive than junk food. People usually talk about eating healthy meals but can't afford them. There is a widespread misconception that cooking from scratch is prohibitively costly, and since takeaway meals cost around $5, there is little motivation to modify our eating habits.
Over the last decade, there has been an increase in media attention on a healthy lifestyle and reports concerning the cost of healthy eating. Research comparing the price of foods implies that less healthy foods are generally less expensive; however, this isn't always the case. Therefore, the metrics used to calculate costs are critical.
Weight Loss and Healthy Lifestyle Myths and Facts
Healthy living is not expensive! But unfortunately, the truth about eating a healthy diet has been watered down over the centuries. It all started with our ancestors, who did not know about healthy food choices and physical exercise. Today, the internet has helped make these myths even more popular.
Below are some of the most popular myths about healthy food:
● Healthy food is not delicious
● Healthy foods are expensive
● Lose weight by skipping meals
● Fat-free foods are healthier
● Sugar is bad, and all other sweeteners are good
Healthier eating habits would result in reduced obesity and fewer chronic diseases, yet appealing to people with health information has had limited success, mainly because the media is awash with myths about healthy eating.
Myth buster #1 - Healthy food is not delicious
Fad diets are one of the main culprits promoting the myth that healthy food is not delicious. These quick-fix diets focus on the harmful elements of dieting, such as limiting particular meals, monitoring calories, and dieting.
They mention bland-tasting meals as examples when several low-calorie items are both inexpensive and delicious. To adopt healthy lifestyle habits, make a list of foods you enjoy and look for healthier alternatives.
Who says healthy can't be tasty?
Pizza: Use a keto flatbread for your base. Pizza toppings are usually not the problem and can be substituted for low-fat alternatives. Using keto flatbread as your base will help boost your protein and fibre intake in one bite.
Myth buster #2 - Healthy food is more expensive
We are becoming conditioned to assume that healthy eating is expensive due to increased costs of meat, fish, dairy, and organic produce. However, this isn't the case as you can still buy fresh foods within a reasonable budget.
Avoid buying packaged foods and try cooking yourself. Identical recipes can be made quickly and efficiently for considerably less in your kitchen.
Myth buster #3 - Lose weight by skipping meals
Starvation diet myths are as old as time itself. The fact is people lose weight when they don't eat, and that's never going to change. But healthy lifestyle choices dictate that you look at weight loss from a long term perspective.
When we skip meals, our body goes into starvation mode, and we burn fewer calories and need less food to survive. A 2018 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that skipping meals can hurt our mental health.
Myth buster #4 - Fat-free foods are healthier
Healthy foods continue to dominate grocery store aisles, but it's crucial to read labels carefully. This is especially true with "fat-free," "low-fat," and "non-fat" foods. For some dairy and meat products, less fat is beneficial. However, fat substitutes are typically dangerous in packaged and processed foods.
Myth buster #5 - Sugar is bad, and all other sweeteners are good
Natural sugars like honey and syrups like rice syrup, malt syrup, and molasses are typically healthier than white sugar.
In truth, honey, syrups, everything ending in 'ose,' and cane sugar (including unrefined cane sugar) are all sugar - no matter how natural or healthful they sound. They will all provide approximately the same amount of energy.
A high sugar diet is linked to high-calorie consumption, leading to weight gain and obesity over time. In addition, any additional nutrients that come with less refined sugars will make a minor contribution to the diet - they aren't a reason to include these items in the diet, and eating more sugar for the nutrients that may come with it isn't a good idea.
Bottomline
Diet is critical to one's health and well-being, and the cost of food should not stop us from adopting a healthy lifestyle. Junk food may be inexpensive and enjoyable, but the notion that nutritious food is expensive is a myth.
Make healthy food choices TODAY!
● Prepare for grocery shopping - Plan your meals. Don't simply cook without giving it some thought. You will need to create a shopping list that is packed full of healthy groceries.
● Precook for faster meals - You can pre cook some foods to be quicker to whip up a meal. Sauces, toppings, and bases are some examples.
● Prepare meals at home - Eating out may be more expensive than cooking at home. You can prepare multiple meals for the same price as a single meal at a restaurant most of the time.
● Buy healthier and more nutritious foods - Buy less processed foods. Choose healthy options like low fat—whole grains, brown rice, fresh instead of canned. The general rule is to go for less processed foods.
You may be surprised at how much you pay for highly processed goods such as soda, crackers, cookies, and prefabricated meals. They are also quite pricey, even though they frequently lack essential nutrients and may be rich in sodium or added sugar.
The best time to start is now! Don't wait till the weekend when you go shopping. Check your fridge, freezer and storage to see what you already have. You will have foods that can fit into your new lifestyle.
Comments