Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Calorie Counting Myths

Myths of Calorie Counting

1. Are their certain foods that burn fat because they have “negative” calories?
UH-no
There is no real evidence that this is true. While your body will benefit from eating more protein because it can help control appetite and eating more fiber may result in some calories passing through undigested, neither food will burn fat.
2. Should I eliminate all saturated fat from my diet?
Beyond a doubt, that is a great diet choice.
Not all fat is created equal. The fats that should remain off your radar screen are solid at room temperature and are referred to as Trans and saturated fats. These types of fats lead to weight gain and arteriosclerosis, particularly the arteries that supply the heart.
3. In one instance I read fats are bad and another I hear fat is essential. Which is it?
Thumbs Up to Unsaturated Fats and Thumbs Down to Trans and Saturated.
Unsaturated fats are fats that are liquid at room temperature and provided health benefits. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated boost your immune system and decrease the risk of heart disease.
Some good choices of unsaturated fats are:
nuts, salmon, tuna, flax oils, avocado
4. My friend is on a pineapple diet because she said it helps to burn fat. Is that true?
Veto. Sorry but your friend is miss guided. Pineapples do contain enzymes that aid in the digestion of fats but burning fat is a different scenario all together. Remember to lose weight the formula is simple. You must burn more calories via exercise and BMR than you consume or your body will store it as fat.  The bottom-line is pineapples and various other fruits and vegetables contain nutrients, fiber and digestive enzymes but do not stimulate fat burning.
5. What is the difference between simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates?
Simple carbohydrate are absorbed quickly and utilized for energy immediately. If they are not used immediately they are stored in the body as fat. Complex carbohydrates take longer to absorb and supply energy longer which make them a better source for fat loss and healthy weightrange maintenance.  The best sources of complex carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.




Results Health and Fitness, Tammi Jacobs