A quick quiz. All of the questions are answered with a true or false.

Do I need lots of carbohydrates in my diet? True/False

A low fat, reduced calorie diet is the best way to lose weight? True/False

Eating fat makes you fat? True/False

Low fat diets are ‘heart healthy’? True/False

The Answers…

Do I need lots of carbohydrates in my diet? Yes and No

It all depends on your level of activity. If you are sedentary then loading up with CHO is going to leave you with excess energy which converts to fat. If you are very active you may need the CHO to fuel the body.

The body stores only a small amount of carbohydrates. The excess carbohydrates are converted to fat if unused.

Simple carbohydrates such as sweets contribute to cellulite. Use complex carbohydrates which are slowly broken down and more readily made available for energy.

A low fat, reduced calorie diet is the best way to lose weight? No

Few people on low fat diets lose weight permanently. More than 97% of the few people who actually lose weight this way put it all back on, plus more and any people on low fat, reduced calorie diets gain weight. Many people on calorie restricted diets have a low energy and marginal health.

Eating fat makes you fat? No

Eating the right kind of fats reduces body fat. Shortage of natural fats significantly reduces effectiveness of fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E,K). Eating enough of the right kind of fat is essential for:

• Hormone production
• Prostaglandin production (heart and cardiovascular protectors)
• Peak brain performance
• Cellular immunity to disease

Do you remember a time when you were too busy to eat and you still had plenty of energy? You were probably running on your own body fat. When you eat equal amounts of protein, natural fat and carbohydrate, you will burn 3 times as much body fats as after a ‘high carbohydrate’ meal.

This is because protein and natural fats trigger your body’s fat-burning hormone, glucagon, which tells the body to burn fat.

Low fat diets are heart healthy?

Despite the widespread adoption of low fat diets, heart attacks remain one of our biggest killers. EFAs (Essential fatty Acids) typically missing from low fats diets can lower cholesterol, blood pressure and triglyceride levels.

In 1900 only (3%) of us died of heart related disease. Today, more than 46% will die of heart-related problems. What could have caused this HUGE increase? What is so different today?

Firstly there has been a massive increase in sugar consumption. Secondly, there has been a dramatic drop in the consumption of essential oils (EFAs).
The greatest jump in death rate from cardiovascular disease and cancer started after 1925 and is still increasing.

In the late 1930s, processed cooking oil began to be widely used by homemakers. A few years later, consumption of margarine increased, and processed oils replaced lard. ‘Cholesterol Mania’ began in the 1950s.

Showing remarkable willpower and willingness to follow logical sounding (but unproven) theories, people switched from eating butter and other natural fats and oils to eating highly refined unsaturated oils, margarines and hydrogenated fats. Today, hydrogenated fats such as margarine far outsell butter.

Note: The average person now consumes 20 pounds of dangerous chemically processed margarine each year.

Source: http://meirafitness.com

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