Common Food and Exercise Myths To Be Mindful Of

When it comes to nutrition and exercise there are so many different marketing messages, promotional plugs, and products on the market all designed with one thing in mind; to make money.

They may be masquerading as being in the interest of your health and fitness and some will be in your best interest, however, the desire to earn a profit has sadly resulted in the creation of some frighteningly common myths.

This article is here to bust some of those myths and help you when making decisions and choices around your health and fitness. 

Diets are hard 

All too often dieting is associated with sacrifice and ‘going without’. It doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, diets shouldn’t be a temporary shift in the way you eat. If you want to sustain a healthy eating pattern then you should ONLY consider making changes to your diet that you can sustain long-term.

You don’t have to cut out carbs or never have another s’more. You can adapt your diet to include all of the things you enjoy, just in a sensible, balanced, and controlled way. You are much more likely to stick to a healthy eating pattern when it is manageable and enjoyable. 

Bottom line, I teach my clients to not focus on foods as good or bad but enjoy foods they love and love them back. How do specific ingredients make you feel, affect your mood, digestion, skin, etc.

Exercise is boring

Not everybody will love exercise but there is are natural movements out there for everyone. Exercise is incredibly important when it comes to managing your health, blood sugar control, digestion (helps with bile production and more!) and fitness and finding a way to incorporate it into your daily routine should take priority.

Exercise is medicine for your moods and will help you feel better, be more energized and help keep you youthful. So if you don’t like going for a run, then don’t. Find an alternative you enjoy. It could be swimming, HOTWORX or dance or even just going for a paced walk with a friend. It doesn’t matter as long as you get your heart rate up and your body moving. 

If you need a nudge or want a health community helping you be accountable to get ~10,000 steps a day, consider joining Kel’s Monthly Wellness Membership! it’s a bargain and the support is always there.

Calories in, equal calories out

The fact of the matter is, you can’t out-train a bad diet. It doesn’t matter how much time you put in the gym, your abs will be made in the kitchen. Typically speaking your exercise will make up around 20-30% of your weight. That leaves a good 70-80% of your make-up down to the food you eat. Ultimately you should aim to eat a balanced, healthy, and nutritious diet, coupled with regular exercise.

If weight loss is your focus, work on eating meals that work for your hormones and blood sugar control to lean out.

You need to cut food groups

Cutting out food groups such as carbs or fats will actually negatively impact any results you are trying to achieve, especially weight loss. Your body needs all of the food groups to be able to function properly and cope with the demands of exercise and busy lives.

By cutting out a food group you will be depriving your body of valuable vitamins and nutrients that it needs to sustain optimum health. Instead of removing foods from your diet you should focus on hunger/satiety and aim to have foods dominant in protein, then fiber, and fat on your plate for each meal. 

If you want help with personalized wellness advice, review my program offerings, membership or 1:1 coaching. Email me with interest. [email protected]