8 Diet Red Flags that Keep Us from Being Healthy

Amy Taylor May 14, 2014

We all want to be healthy. But very few are able to reach their fitness goals. That’s because there are many things that people think are helping their efforts to be healthier, but in truth they are just sabotaging their health. Here are some of them:

Believing what works for some works for them also.

There’s no magic formula for weight loss. What’s working for your best friend may or may not work for you. Seeking advice from a health professional is one way to determine the eating plan most suitable for you. You should also consider health issues you may have.

Believing all calories are just calories.

Many people are obsessed about counting every calorie they put in their mouth yet are not successful in losing weight. That’s because they think all calories are created equal. The truth is that calories derived from various foods have different effect on your body. Foods high in fibre, such as fruits and vegetables are not just low in calories – they also take time to be digested and absorbed by the gut, resulting to negative calories (or the calories needed to burn them are higher than the calories they contain).

Giving up your favourite foods completely.

Whilst this may work at first, depriving yourself of your favourite treats could only intensify your food cravings. And the more you tell yourself not to eat, the more you want it. Healthy eating isn’t about deprivation or drastically changing every aspect of your lifestyle. It’s about learning how to enjoy what you love in a healthy way.

Fearing diet change.

Just like there isn’t one way of eating for everyone, there’s most likely not one way of eating that will serve you for your entire life. As you age, grow and change, so should your eating habits.

Not knowing where sugar hides.

Just because the food doesn’t taste sweet doesn’t mean it no longer contains sugar. There are many, many foods that we think are healthy but are actually overloaded with sugar. They include ketchup, jarred pasta sauce, low-fat dairy and low-fat cracker, white bread and pasta, granola bars, and so on.

Not reading food labels.

Many marketers tend to put highly misleading labels on foods just to convince health conscious people to buy unhealthy junk foods for themselves and their children. Because most people don’t know much about nutrition, they repeatedly fall for labels like “includes whole grains,” “low-fat” or “contains Omega-3s.” But remember this – adding small amounts of healthy ingredients to an unhealthy, highly processed food does NOT make it healthy. So make sure to read the labels carefully. Even health foods can contain sugar, refined wheat and other very harmful ingredients.

Not focusing on real, unprocessed foods.

Avoid stuff that looks like it was made in a factory. It is most important to simply eat real, unprocessed foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Opt for fresh produce and refrain from microwavable meals.

Not eating enough protein.

Studies show that a higher protein intake can be beneficial for body composition, especially in people who are physically active. Protein is also by far the most satiating macronutrient and your body expends quite a few calories metabolising it. For this reason, adding protein to your diet can help you lose weight without even trying.