Social media is where many people turn for quick tips on nutrition and fitness. With flashy influencers, quick videos, and wellness trends everywhere, there’s more information available than one can fully process.
With the high traffic of online resources, it can get tricky to determine between fact and myth. As someone with an education in sport and nutrition, you can help clear up some of these false claims when you enter the industry, by focusing on scientific fundamentals.
Here are a few of the common myths that appear on social media and why they aren’t true. Read on for a future in nutrition that separates fact from fiction!
1. Nutrition Diploma Program Grads know Carbs aren’t Evil
Carbohydrates, or carbs, are often portrayed very negatively on social media, with diets urging people to completely cut them out in order to lose weight. While this may be an appropriate choice recommended to specific people by their doctors, it’s not a one-size-fits-all for everyone.
A few facts about carbs:
- Carbs aren’t just found in baked goods. They are prevalent in legumes, starchy vegetables, whole grains, fruit, and dairy.
- Carbs are the human body’s main source of energy.
- Carbs are an essential macronutrient required for normal bodily functioning. Other essential nutrients include water, fat, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
- Many foods containing high amounts of phytonutrients, which are disease-preventing chemicals, also contain substantial carbohydrates. These foods include squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes.
Having sport and nutrition training gives you the advantage of understanding how different foods nourish the body. Choosing nutritious sources of carbs is important for a healthy diet, while limiting nutritionally weak foods like white bread and refined sugar.
Know the difference between nutrient-dense sources of carbs and less nutritious sources
What happens when carbs are eliminated:
- Insulin is reduced
- The kidneys begin to shed water
- Many people lose 5-10 lbs of water weight within the first week or so, after which weight loss slows down
- This rapid water weight loss is unfortunately not fat loss (weight loss is simply reducing a number on a scale, while fat loss is a change in body composition using the percentage of fat in the body versus fat-free mass (muscles, blood, bones, ligaments, tendons, organs, other tissues, and fluids)
2. You’ll know Healthy Food can be Affordable after Sport and Nutrition Training
Social media can perpetuate the myth that healthy eating has to be expensive. Part of this is due to the business of influencers doing product placements for companies. Many of these are premium items and can give the impression that a lot of money must be spent in order to eat well.
Antioxidants and “superfoods” are often mentioned as buzzwords in reference to foods that are expensive and sometimes hard to find, such as:
- Goji berries
- Spirulina
- Chia seeds
However, there are many foods that have incredibly dense nutrition and are generally lower priced, such as:
- Purple cabbage
- Eggs
- Sweet potatoes
Using a nutrition diploma program to make a difference in people’s lives can include promoting nutrient-dense foods that won’t break the bank.
Giving people information that helps them shop smart for healthy food makes a difference
3. The Difference between a Fad Diet and Changing a Diet
Many nutrition myths online are surrounding specific diets, marketing them as a one-size-fits-all way to lose weight or reach goals.
When people go on a fad diet:
- They often are thinking short-term
- Choices aren’t always sustainable
- New habits often aren’t formed
When people change their diet:
- They implement new habits into their daily routines
- They make long-lasting, sustainable changes that work for their lifestyle and preferences
- They think long-term
By helping people incorporate nutritious whole foods into their diets in a way that can last indefinitely, you protect them from discouraging fad diets.
Fads like the grapefruit diet rarely produce the results that long-lasting habits can
Are you interested in nutrition and health training?
Contact AAPS for more information.