There’s a lot of information available about nutrition. But how much of it is actually backed up by a peer-reviewed study? There could be some things believed to be facts that are actually just a load of crap.

Today, I’m going to reveal 6 nutrition lies busy professionals are believing, and at the end, I will introduce you to my system for identifying real foods and avoiding the junk.

Lie # 1- Carbs are “bad”

Carbs are the body’s main source of energy. We use them to sustain us through a workout, to recover from a workout, and for everyday basic functioning. Now, too much of anything is still too much and our bodies don’t require a lot of carbs if we aren’t very active. The more intense our workouts are the more carbs our bodies may need to fuel and recover.

We don’t necessarily need to rely on carbs on a long travel day or for an afternoon walk in between meetings. But if we are doing strength training, endurance work, or any other form of vigorous physical activity for an extended period of time, carbs can help to sustain us through the physical workload and help our bodies recover afterward.

Now remember, I mentioned carbs could be utilized for everyday basic functioning. So let me explain that. Glucose is what our bodies rely on for energy and glucose typically comes from carbohydrates. But our bodies can still make glucose from other nutrients if we don’t have an adequate supply of carbohydrates in our bloodstream. Carbs come in handy for energy production but they aren’t absolutely essential like protein and fats are.

Let your carb intake reflect your activity level- The more intense your workouts are, and the more energy you burn throughout the day, the more carbs you may need. Carbs aren’t bad but they shouldn’t be abused either. Use them to compliment your training routine, not as a free-for-all.

Good carb sources may include:

• Basmati rice

• Quinoa

• Sweet potatoes

• Lentils/beans

• Vegetables

• Sprouted whole grains that are as unprocessed as possible

Carb sources that are better avoided may include:

• Enriched/refined/bleached pastas and rices

• Highly-processed breads (most of what you will find at your typical grocery store)

  • Go for a sprouted grain bread

• Sugar/sweets

• Bagels

• Chips

• Any grain or flour product that has been refined/highly-processed

Lie # 2- Protein is only essential for people who want to build muscle

Protein is essential for anybody who wants to build muscle but it is responsible for so much more. Protein is also important for:

• Fat burning

• Cell regeneration

• Regulating appetite (because it keeps you full longer than other macronutrients)

• Brain function

• Growth and development

• Muscular recovery

… just to name a few.

The body doesn’t rely on protein for fuel like it does for carbs (fat can be used for fuel as well but it’s not as efficient) but protein is a necessary component for exercise in regards to muscular recovery and fat burning. Muscle helps to burn fat. And what is muscle made out of? Protein.

So whether you are trying to burn off fat or build muscle, having protein throughout the day is vitally important.

Good protein sources may include:

• Lean organic meats

• Nuts & seeds

• Lentils/beans

• & Quinoa

Protein sources that are best to avoid may include:

• Highly processed meats (hot dogs, sausage, bacon, and other mixed and preserved meats)

• Highly processed cheeses (if you are going to eat cheese it’s best to get it made from a grass food cow and “cheese product” is NOT real cheese)

Lie # 3- Fats will make you fat

Just like I said about carbs- too much of anything is still too much. And too many calories from any nutrient can still cause you to gain weight. Fats are the most calorically dense macronutrients so a little goes a long way. Twenty grams of fat, for example, is not calorically equivalent to twenty grams of protein or carbs.

Your body can do pretty well without carbs but it can not survive without essential fat. Fat is the body’s second preferred fuel source after carbs. Fats are also necessary for the brain to function, for cells to live, and fats are also good for the skin.

For your healthier fat choices, stick to things such as:

• Extra virgin cold pressed olive, coconut, and avocado oil

• Avocados

• Nuts & seeds

And if you are going to use butter, grass-fed is much cleaner and healthier than conventional butter or margarine.

And avoid things such as:

• Refined oils

• Chemically engineered fats such as hydrogenated oils (trans fats), margarine, and other synthetic oils and fats

• Processed meats

Lie # 4- Calories in vs calories out is the most important factor for weight loss

Burning off more energy (calories) than you consume is a component to weight loss but it’s not the most important factor. Some people will disagree with me on this but let me make things simple for you: 1,000 calories of chips, bagels, and candy is still worse off than 2,000 calories of whole foods such as green leafy vegetables and lentils. You are going to have a more effective weight loss journey with the latter.

It is far more important to consider WHAT you eat over how MUCH you eat. Focus on consuming the right foods before you worry about dropping your calories.

Lie #5- Breakfast is the most important meal of the day

Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day… to skip.

I would imagine that you don’t have a lot of time in the morning. If you’re anything like my typical client, you either get up and go first thing in the morning or you get right into your work at home.

There’s nothing wrong with waiting to eat in the morning and there are actually some benefits to fasting such as fat burning and mental clarity. The idea of eating three meals per day was thought up by large food companies who were trying to make a dollar. And with all of the advertisements we see, we are programmed to eat all day long, whenever we are bored, or whenever we desire something to satisfy a craving. As a society, we already consume way too much food and are still malnourished because we aren’t eating REAL foods. Fasting from breakfast could be a small step that can yield big results in your weight-loss journey over time.

For a lot of my weight-loss clients, an intermittent fasting protocol typically works well. Intermittent fasting is when, for an extended period of time, you fast from consuming any food and you only drink water. There are many different ways to do this and make sure you are medically able to do so before trying it.

One way to do intermittent fasting is to stop eating food after dinner in the evening and start eating again until lunch the next day. A common fasting protocol is to fast from 8 PM to 12 PM noon the next day. This is a 16-hour fast but an 8, 12, or another time frame may work well for you. Some people have good results by doing a 24-hour fast once in a while.

Intermittent fasting works well for busy people who are trying to burn off some extra fat but if your main goal is to build muscle then you may want to consume breakfast and skip the fast.

Lie #6- You can trust big-name brands

Big name brands pay to be seen. They are often positioned in the middle of the aisle and they are recognizable by their ads. These companies have large marketing budgets because they keep their margins high and their cost low- all at a cost to our health! 😁 (jerks).

If you can learn how to read a food label and know what to look for, you will notice that the big name brands rarely are a good choice. There are often smaller companies that may offer an organic or whole-food based option. Don’t just look at the front of the label, read the back, read the side label with the nutrition facts and ingredients, and really get a feel for what is in the product and if it’s a good choice for you and your family before putting it in your cart.

What next?

These are just a few of the nutrition lies out there. Feel free to share any nutrition lies that you know below!

For an in-depth look at how to eat healthfully, check out my Nutrition 101 course. In this course, I will teach you how to identify whole foods and how to be aware of the imitations. I will show you:

• How to read a food label

• How to eat well when you’re out

• What to look for at a restaurant and how to find healthy choices on a menu

And overall, how we can get back to our roots of eating REAL food and avoiding the junk.

To get a sneak peek at my course and to purchase it, click on the bottom below.

Be aware of the imitation “foods” that are filling our grocery store shelves. Learn how to identify and avoid the junk. Click on the button below and head over to my nutrition course now.