We’re going to take a little quiz. Don’t panic! You’ve crammed until 3:00am, you’ve had a mind-healthy breakfast, and you have your number 2 pencil. Ready? Set? Go!
TRUE or FALSE?
1. People are obese and overweight only because they don’t engage in weight loss efforts and don’t have healthy eating habits.
2. Snacking is always a bad idea.
3. All fast food is bad.
4. All carbohydrates are bad.
5. Skipping one meal a day will reduce calorie intake and will promote weight loss.
Pencils down! Let’s check your answers:
1. False. Obesity isn’t always a behavioral issue. Although inactivity and poor eating habits are major contributors to obesity, there are many other elements that contribute to obesity. Behavioral changes, medical and scientific evaluation and intervention, hormone disorders (metabolic syndrome and thyroid disease) can contribute to obesity.
2. False. When you hear your stomach talking to you, listen to it! Snacking isn’t always wrong or a bad idea, it’s the food choices that are sometimes bad. Choose healthy foods such as carrots, apples, almonds, bananas, grapes, yogurt, celery stalks with peanut butter, and water.
3. False. The double cheeseburgers, French fries, sugary sodas, milkshakes, and hot apple pies aren’t the best choices. Crisp salads, fresh grilled chicken sandwiches, and cold and refreshing water are healthy choices that most fast food restaurants have on their menu today. Fast food has become part of the American way of living, there’s no escaping it! So, when you must go to a fast food restaurant, choose wisely.
4. False. Do you remember the childhood song, “One of these things is not like the other?” Well, one of these carbohydrates is not like the other! All carbohydrates aren’t equal. Sugar and white flour are very high in carbohydrates, so choose foods like beans, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. These are the healthier carbohydrates that can actually help you, not hurt you like the sugary foods. Carbohydrates actually give you energy to exercise, so choose the healthiest breads and enjoy.
5. False. Your body’s metabolism is self-regulating and if you are not ingesting “fuel” (food) when your body wants it, your metabolism automatically slows down to protect and save its energy. The best answer is to eat smaller portions of healthy food more often.
Good job! 100%. I knew you could do it!
Weight loss myths are all around us! I’m glad you recognized the five common myths about obesity and weight loss above. That shows you’re abreast of the health scene.
