Diets: Mistakes and Myths #1

M&M #1:  You should eliminate a certain group of food when dieting. WRONG!

A lot of people think that being on a diet means eliminating a lot of nutrients. They often eliminate several groups of food and eat primarily one or two. This couldn't be farther from the truth. Your body needs a certain amount of calories to function properly. Studies show that an average woman should eat no less than 1200 calories per day. For an average man it's around 1800. However, these are just general numbers, but it should be said that an active person will require more calories than a sedentary person.

Your body needs calories from different types of groups of food to ensure that the body's nutritional requirements are properly fulfilled. (energy your body needs to pump blood, breathing, keeping your body warm and the energy needed for the functioning of all the essential organs)

People tend to follow what they read in magazines, books, and what they see on TV. We're also taught by the makers of those well-known Fad Diets to eliminate certain essential food groups. Fad Diets are those hundreds of popular crash diets that promise you rapid weight loss results. Most of the fad diets out there are unhealthy and can lead to serious healths problems. But let's put the fad diets on the side right now, they will have a post of their own.

There are six classes of nutrients your body needs to function correctly:

1. Carbohydrates
2. Fat
3. Proteins
4. Vitamins
5. Minerals
6. Water

A proper diet needs to include all of the above. The use of this food pyramid created by the USDA can be a helpful guide when creating your meal plan. 

 The current recommended daily balance on nutrition is approximately:

• Carbohydrates: 58%
• Proteins: 12%
• Fat: 30%

Note: These are the recommendations for an average person. When talking about dieting for a purpose and/or a goal these recommendations will change. Specific diets can be followed to promote weight loss, to enhance an athlete's performance, for the purpose of weight gain, and also to maintain a stable body weight.