Mention the word nutrition, and it will provoke a wide range of feelings across a broad spectrum of people. But whichever way you piece it, what we eat and drink is at the centre of our health outcomes.
Whether it be maintaining a healthy weight, balancing energy levels, or providing our body with the nutrients it needs to thrive, there is no doubt that if we do not get our nutrition right, then we open ourselves up to a whole host of negative outcomes - and leave many positive ones on the table.
Below we outline some of the common nutrition mistakes you're probably making and how to correct each and every one.
Eliminating fat
Do not make the nutrition mistake of eliminating fat from your diet. Healthy fats are important for your body as other nutrients. The body normally cannot produce fatty acids, and sources of fats can help provide the body with the same.
Letting one indulgence make you feel like a failure
It starts with a bite of a cookie and ends with the entire bunch gone in the blink of an eye.
You immediately feel food guilty and wonder why you cannot have better self-control. There is no way to be hundred-percent perfect with nutrition. Food is good. Cookies are meant to be enjoyed, and one overindulgence will not kill you. If you find yourself going off track, take a deep breath and get back on track. Don’t throw in the towel or go on a binge, thinking you will start over on the new week. Get over what you ate (the past is in the past) and control what you eat in the present.
Not eating enough protein
When it comes to losing weight and being able to stick to a healthy diet, protein is the king of nutrients. Adding protein to your diet is the simplest, most effective, and most delicious way to lose weight with minimal effort. Studies show that protein both increases your metabolic rate and helps reduce appetite. Do not avoid protein in your nutrition plan.
Not eating breakfast
You have probably been told since you were a kid that breakfast is the most important meal of the day - and your mom was not simply trying to torture you with that daily reminder. There are a lot of nutritional myths out there, but skipping breakfast and the toll it can take on your metabolism and your food choices throughout the day is not one of them. Eating a breakfast full of protein and good fats sets you up for the entire day, helping you to have the energy to make it to lunchtime and providing you with the ability to make better choices about the food you eat for the rest of the day. Breakfast keeps your blood sugar steady and your diet balanced, so do not skip it.
Not taking care of sugar consumption
Sugar is called white poison, and it should be avoided as much as possible. Excessive and unregulated consumption of sugar can be extremely harmful as it may lead to diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. Consuming unregulated sugar is one of the worst nutrition mistakes and avoid sugar in the form of juices, sodas, energy drinks, and smoothies.