Do you get confused with all the nutrition advice out there at the minute? It can be hard to pick the good from the bad when your unsure, so I've decided to bust some common myths I hear regularly around nutrition;
Carbs are the devil; this is one of the most common ones, I hear people fear carbs all the time. NO they do not make you fat, excess body fat comes from eating more calories than you expend and doesn’t have to come from only carbs! Carbs are your main source of energy and are needed in the body for lots of functions such as the brain, kidneys and nervous system. The more active lifestyle you lead, the more carbs you will need.
Gluten is bad: Unless you have been diagnosed as coeliac or have an intolerance to gluten, then no you don’t need to remove gluten from your diet. It can also be quite common to think that if somethings ‘gluten free’ then it must be healthier.. its not. Do you really think all those biscuits and cakes are ‘healthy’ just because they are gluten free? If you aren’t coeliac or intolerant, then there is no need to avoid gluten.
You need to detox your body: NO NO NO! We have a liver and kidneys for a reason, these naturally detox the body by removing any harmful substances and excreting waste products. There is no need for ‘detox teas’ or ‘juice cleanses’ or ’30 day reset’ these are just money makers and wont actually ‘detox' the body.
Intermittent fasting will make you loose weight: Again, this is not determined by the hours between which you allow yourself to consume food. By restricting your feeding time, this does not necessarily mean you will loose weight if you eat the same number of calories as you normally would within those hours. It really depends on your total energy intake throughout the day.
It can be used as a tool to restrict calories if in a deficit.
You must consume protein immediately after your workout: When we workout, yes our muscles need protein to build and repair. But this doesn’t mean downing a protein shake as soon as you walk out the gym door. Consuming protein (in either food or supplement form) within the two hours after your session is optimal, although not completely necessary. As long as you are consuming around 1.6-2.2g/kg body weight over the course of the day, this should be optimal protein intake for muscle growth and recovery when taking part in weight training.
Please don't believe everything you read on the internet in relation to your nutrition, research it or go for information from reliable sources who know what they are talking about.