Sadly, it is a fact of the times we live in that trendy, controversial fads, and so called fitness influencers peddling skinny pills, protein powder and meal replacement shakes often gain more attention than the real facts. Often the facts come across as far less interesting, harder to achieve, and ultimately, more boring that what we’re sold on social media.
This often leads to mass confusion over what “healthy” even looks like! I see it every day with my clients, who often ask me the same questions about things they’ve read online.
So, I’m here to debunk some of the myths, and surprise you with some of my thoughts on what the influencer industry sells us as being the gold standard for health because its not all about chicken and rice!
1. Making “healthier” Desserts
I know this might read like an odd one, but I am constantly seeing articles for protein brownies and reduced sugar mug cakes… and let me tell you I’ve never found one that has tasted even good, let alone delicious. If I want something sweet then I will reach for the real deal! It’s all about everything in moderation, and opting for a fake version of something you’re craving will rarely satisfy the sweet tooth, and can often result in over-eating in a quest to satisfy the craving. Just to let you in on an a not-so-secret-secret… ice cream is my kryptonite… Nutritionist or not, it’s my favourite!!
If you often find yourself reaching for something sweet on an evening, make sure you have some whole food options available to you as these not only offer the body a great variety of nutrients, but can also serve that sweet tooth. I always have yoghurt in the house along with nuts, nut butter, chocolate buttons, fresh fruit, dried fruit and granola… Now these work for me, but we’re all individual, so figure out what works for you and keep a stash handy. It’ll save you money and time and avoid a whole lot of disappointment!
2. Cheat Days
I REALLY dislike this phrase, but I want to start this one by confirming that I am judgement free with my clients. We have been conditioned to think of food as “good” and “bad”, and cheat days have become a normal aspect of our approach to food and nutrition. So if a cheat day is something you’re used to, and are happy to include in your diet then you do you, I’m not here to judge! However, I would like to change the narrative if you’ll allow me…
The concept of a cheat day often reinforces diet culture and the idea that you can reward yourself for good behaviour (sticking to a weekday regime of salads and boring “healthy” food) by eating more indulgent food at the weekend. Sadly, this approach to food can often result in binge eating on weekends, and a really horrible relationship between enjoying yourself at the weekend and come Monday, feeling guilty about it.
So let’s start thinking about it differently:
Make your weekday meals more interesting! Stop punishing yourself with boring food for the sake of weight loss! “healthy” doesn’t have to mean boring. Check out my recipes page here for some meal inspiration
Let’s stop using food as a punishment and reward! Instead, food should be viewed as fuel! After all, it is essential for the day to day functioning of the body!! Instead, aim to eat meals that combine a plate full of colour, carbs, protein, veggies and useful fats. And if you have a takeaway, a few beers in the sun or that ice cream you know is sat in the bottom of the freezer… then enjoy it, move on and continue with the goal of loading up your plate with variety.
Health isn’t just about food, and if weight loss is your goal, then there are other things to think about too. Include some exercise, hydration and sleep goals in your week and build your plan around all aspects instead of obsessing over food.
Tune into how you’re feeling. Food and nutrition isn’t just about weight loss. A balanced and nutritious diet helps with so many aspects of life, from healthy skin and a good night’s sleep, to how energetic you feel and your ability to concentrate at work. Try to tap into those feelings and notice how different food and drink affect those things. Once you become aware of the superpower of food it can help to change the way we think of it.
3. Detox programmes
Okay, where to start… so the concept of a detox diet is to strip back what you eat, down to the very basic of simple ingredients as a sort of reset for the body. Which sounds great right? Well unfortunately, there are a few big red flags, the first being that our liver does a really good job of detoxing the body! A big role of the liver is to absorb toxins, digest them and then excrete them in urine or faeces.
Secondly, the human body is incredible at regulating functions, such as body temperate, hormone balance and pH. So where we are encouraged to try alkaline diets, and drink gallons of lemon water in the name of detoxing and rebalancing our pH levels, it really is just a load of nonsense, and the body can sort itself out!
Third and probably most importantly, is that I completely agree with the idea of cutting back on processed high fat, high sugar foods and alcohol, and simplifying the ingredients lists of the foods we eat… but often, the detox diets we’re recommended are dangerously low in calories and carbohydrates. As a consequence, it can impact our energy levels; particularly for active individuals, our ability to concentrate, and it puts us at risk of headaches and nausea. A low calorie diet often means a diet lacking in nutrients too, which if continued over a longer period can compromise our immune system, gut health and brain function.
So there we have it! Are there any influencer favourites that I’ve not covered and you’d like to hear my take on? Let me know in the comments below!
