4 things This Nutritionist Wishes You Understood About Nutrition

Being a nutritionist myself I understand the misconceptions about nutrition that a layperson is likely to carry on a day to day basis. Here are some things I would like you to know.

With so much information about nutrition served through your phone or laptop’s browser window, there is a huge gap between the information served and the information grasped. Moreover, with every other person trying to portray himself/herself as a nutritionist, it is increasingly becoming difficult to obtain the right information about the word ‘nutrition’. So in short, clients cannot be blamed entirely for carrying all those wrong notions in their head; to be precise they will only understand when they are educated on the difference between generalised fancy diets and diets which are logical and personalised.

So why not do a reality check?

Let me take you through some commonly followed practices in the name of Nutrition! Every now and then I am bound to get clients/patients who have done the following in order to lose weight or to look better. So let’s begin.

Skipping meals

This is one of the favourite practices undertaken on a large scale by each and every human being. Ask me why? Because almost every single person in the universe feels that not eating meals or skipping them is going to rain blessings in terms of weight loss. But what if I told you that this is the worst habit to take up especially if you want to look like an Alia Bhatt or Katrina Kaif?

Why you must not do this

You want to get rid of those pesky fat cells and love handles, but what if I say they wouldn’t want to leave you even if you skip meals? So here is the truth! When you do not eat, the body goes in to starvation mode which is why it will start accumulating more fat cells in order to provide energy later! BOOM!

Moreover you will eat double or triple of your appetite since you are hungry. So in short, do not try this at home…just like you are warned during Khatron Ke Khiladi!

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Saying no to fruits

“Fruits are sweet so if you consume them daily you might end up being fat or even turn diabetic!” Who ever thought this up? During my practice I have come across clients who have stopped eating fruits due to the constant fear of gaining weight and turning obese. However, my nutrition degree tells me that you must consume at least two fruits in a day to stay healthy. So not eating fruits isn’t a great idea folks! Get over it and get going.

Why you must consume fruits

“Sabar ka fal meetha hota hai!” You must have heard this saying every now and then (Patience brings sweet rewards). Yes, fruits are sweet because they are natural sources of sugar (also known as fructose) along with antioxidants, fiber and loads of micro nutrients which are a must for the body and all the more if you want a glowing skin sans the fairness creams doing the rounds in the market. You need to eat an appropriate amount of fruits if you want this!

Not eating carbohydrates

I overheard Aunty Geeta who was talking to Aunty Seeta and you know what Aunty Geeta said? “Seeta, if you want to look thin like these celebrities then you must not eat carbohydrates. So I have cut down carbs in my diet and see I have lost 5kgs so far! Amazing no?”

While their conversation seems interesting, I swear on oath that there is no truth in what Aunty Geeta had to say. Carbohydrates are of two types – simple and complex. The simple ones are your sugars and the complex ones include oats, barley, wheat, brown rice…in short, they are your besties. Hence carbohydrates aren’t bad on the whole.

Why you must include carbs

You must consume complex carbohydrates since these are a great source of fiber, protein and micro nutrients. Stay away from simple carbs, since these are the fattening ones. If you aren’t eating enough carbs, then rest assured you wouldn’t get enough energy. So if you want to lose weight or bring down your sugar levels, then complex carbs are a must.

Latching on to fad diets

So there is a new diet in the market and you want to try it? Be it GM Diet/South Beach diet/Atkins Diet/Blood Group Diet, you have tried everything under the sun and the moon. While fad diets promise quick weight loss in a very short span of time, remember that these have their own side-effects. Do not be under the impression that you will start looking like Kim Kardashian or Angelina Jolie after trying out any of these, hold on! You might end up feeling weak and fatigued.

Why fad diets are a bad idea

Weight loss and obtaining success are a gradual process, dearies! If you try to attain it in a hurry then be ready to face the consequences. You might just end up gaining all the weight that you have lost during the hush-hush weight loss journey, thanks to these so called diets which anyone can get lured into.

So in a nutshell, before you commit any further mistakes or latch on to information which google, youtube or facebook give you openly and freely about nutrition, it is better to take an opinion from an expert!

Do not be in a hurry, or else, later you may need to worry!

Image via Pexels

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