You might say that you already knew that. Others may also say that this method is not only obsolete but it is too simple. But sometimes the things that work are the simplest things to do.

Losing weight does not have to be something that is either complicated or extraordinary. The weight loss truth is: all you need to do is practice healthy eating.

So why do we always promote healthy eating? What makes it essential to everybody’s life? There are plenty of reasons why healthy eating is a good practice to start today. Lets review the different food groups available out there, and why we need them.

Go Foods

Go Foods: This group comprises the carbohydrate-rich food. Examples are breads, cereals, rice, and pasta.

As the word “go” implies, this group of food helps keep you going. When you need to be on the go then eat carbohydrate-rich food. Carbohydrates are responsible for giving you the energy that you need. When you eat carbohydrate-rich food the body either utilizes or stores them for future use.

There really is no need to worry about eating this type of food. You cannot avoid eating carbohydrates even when you are on a weight loss diet. Did you know that carbohydrates also serve as a fuel for your metabolism?

Go Foods are especially important for athletes and people who spend a large amount of time exercising. Carbohydrates are the body’s expendable fuel for activity. So now you know why marathon runners have a pasta-rich meal the night before a big race!

Grow Foods

Grow Foods: This food group comprises the protein-rich foods. There’s lean red meat, chicken, fish, and cottage cheese to name a few.

These foods are responsible in building tissues which makes up your muscles. They also aid in the “growing years” of a child. Thus the word – grow.

Protein is not only good for building but also good for the repair and maintenance of your muscles (these include wound healing and body development). Protein allows for muscle recovery – For example, when you lift weights, your muscles literally rip apart (on a microscopic level). The body needs protein to rebuild them, and when it does, they come back just a bit stronger than before.

Glow Foods

Glow Foods: You should not forget to include this food group in your healthy eating diet. This food group comprises the vitamins and minerals. They help you keep glowing. You can find many, if not all, of your required vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables.

We all know that there is a long list of vitamins and minerals. Each vitamin and mineral has its own function to carry. From vitamin A which we all know is good for the eyesight to vitamin C which is essential for fighting infection.

Keeping a Balance

Remember how people would say that money is not bad in itself but the wrong use of money is what makes it bad? The same analogy can be applied in the food you eat. If you think about it, the problem is not the food itself but the quantity consumed.

We all know that too much of everything is bad for you. So just remember to keep these three food groups in balance and be disciplined enough. Never eat only protien (like the Atkins Diet [read about the dangers of too much protien]) or only carbohydrates (the You Gain a LOT of Weight Diet) Balance is what healthy eating is all about.

But why do most people believe in them? Because it’s convincing and it sounds true to our ears especially if it were uttered from the mouth of a very influencing person. This is the nature of the human condition.

Before you plan on losing weight you have to know the truth about weight loss. And by truth we mean the facts. Repetition of a word or an idea in your mind does not make it the true so better stop convincing yourself. Know what the weight loss myths are before you fall for them.

To help you distinguish one from the other, here is a short compilation of common weight loss myths.

Myth: Fasting is the best way that yields results – Yes, probably. But this is just short term. You can’t just go cold turkey. If you stop eating right there and then or if you decide to skip meals as a means of losing weight then think again. Fasting makes you even hungrier thus you crave more food. You may eat twice daily or once a day but the volume, the amount that you eat will be doubled or tripled. It is instinct.

Have you noticed that when you don’t eat lunch because you were too busy doing something, the minute you finished your work you start to feel the hunger and you eat all these food to satisfy yourself? When you deprive your body of the food that it is used to consuming then tendency is you eat twice as much the next meal.

Myth: Eliminate Carbohydrates to lose weight – This is one of the weight loss myths that are commonly mistaken as the truth. What you hear is that carbohydrates make you fat or help contribute to making you fat. This is not entirely true. Your body needs carbohydrates also. When broken down, these carbohydrates are converted into energy. And you need that energy. Just remember to keep things in moderation.

Myth: Never Eat Sweets – Speaking of moderation, the next myth that we are going to talk about involves sweets. Most people would say that you should avoid sweets completely. However, truth is you really don’t have to deprive yourself once in a while. Just keep things in moderation. You want to feel satisfied not only physically but also emotionally. It also keeps you motivated when you know that you have a reward for yourself for a job well done. Every couple of days should be fine.

The ideal time to eat sweets would be after a workout. Your body metabolizes that simple sugar and doesn’t store the calories. A good post workout meal would be a few gummy worms and a protein shake.

Myth: Eating Less Means You Don’t Have to Exercise – You don’t have to exercise as long as you reduce the amount of food that you eat. This is not true either. Did you know that exercise helps in your metabolism? When you exercise you develop muscles and shed those extra fats that you have. Not only will you look good but you’ll also feel healthier as well.

It is very important that you know and learn how to distinguish facts from myths. Equip yourself with the knowledge of what is the truth. These weight loss myths should help you get started. Since you already know that these are just myths then you can start planning or altering that plan of yours.