You may be making these mistakes right now in the second week of January.

We usually create the plan in December or right after Thanksgiving dinner when we ate or drink too much. You sat down with your journal and decided to cut your carbs and restrict certain foods. All with great intent, however, how far will this intention get you? Some of the tips and habits we plan on sticking to are ones that you have heard from a friend, a neighbor, or a family member because they swear by them. However, is that a good enough reason to participate in some of the things you have heard?

Let's take a look at some of the main habit "myths" we hear, or think we need to adopt to help us meet our health, weight loss, and improved overall health goals.

Number 1:

When working out, I should eliminate strength and stretching but stick with mainly cardio-based exercises.

Have you heard the saying that the more muscle you have the more calories, you burn? There is truth to that! Furthermore, to gain muscle will require strength training to a larger extent. Only participating in cardio contributes to muscle loss as you lose fat. So only focusing on cardio exercises isn't a great long-term goal jeopardizing your ability to maintain muscle.

Instead:

Create a priority around practicing strength training and increasing your weight load, as our bodies have very good muscle memory. It's okay to up the incline, weight levels, or reps to see an improvement in your results and endurance. Aim to schedule at least 2-3 days of strength training during your week.

Number 2:

The solution is cutting out calories, carbs and fats

False. Getting on the hamster wheel of eating less and moving more doesn't help everyone in the long run. Whenever we solely focus on eating less and moving more, we tend to force our bodies into starvation mode. As we know this type of behavior will not work in the long run. This ultimately slows your metabolism! It's important to incorporate healthy fats like avocados and nuts as they create a sense of satisfaction and have monounsaturated fats that support your heart. Limiting saturated fat is still a good focal point, but it is important to redirect the type of fats you consume. Increasing your fiber intake requires you to eat carbs. Fiber-rich carbs are your best friend because they supply your body with many different vitamins and minerals, stable energy throughout the day, decrease your cholesterol, and keep you full longer. These types of carbs can come in the form of whole-grain bread, pasta, rice, and ancient grains.

Instead:

Focus on high nutrient-rich foods, that are carbs, proteins, fats, and yes, calories. Focus on how colorful you can make that plate with fruit, vegetables, grains, beans, legumes, and lean meats.

Number 3:

If I get up early to exercise with limited rest, I will be able to lose weight and see an improvement in my health

This is also false. Most working professionals find it easy to work out in the early morning or after work before preparing dinner. However, at what cost will this work long-term if you have limited sleep and rest? Working out without the proper amount of rest is sabotaging your ability to get in shape and stay healthy. Not getting the recommended amount of sleep will increase your cortisol levels in return increases your risk of insulin resistance which results in high blood glucose numbers. Lack of sleep also destabilizes your hormones and increases unintentional weight gain. Getting enough sleep also helps with decreasing your stress levels and increases the tendency to munch and overeat at night and the following day.

Instead:

Make sleep a priority and get at least 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Sometimes this means winding down 1-2 hours before bed by putting down the phone with Instagram and TikTok videos. It could also mean incorporating activities in your routine to assist with your winding down, whether it is reading, meditation, or stretching.

Number 4:

Going all-natural and "Gluten-free" will help me in my health journey.

Usually, the only time someone needs to incorporate a gluten-free diet would be the following: If they are sensitive to gluten, where they experience signs and symptoms of uncomfortable gas, or other GI disorders, that limit their ability to absorb gluten. Gluten is a protein in grains and some people cannot absorb these proteins in their GI tract. The inability to absorb these proteins could be a sign of Celiac disease, however, you would need more testing to determine the diagnosis. Please see your doctor in these instances. With that said, not everyone should adopt a gluten-free diet or solely eat gluten-free foods, because this could ultimately cause you to deplete yourself of certain nutrients your body needs. The labeling of "all-natural" does not mean healthy or less calories. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have a set definition for "natural", meaning this is a made-up term from companies that are put on the label with no formal definition.

Instead:

Here are some tips to follow instead. Make it a habit to check the ingredient list and make sure you recognize certain ingredients. Start looking for high fructose corn syrup and other preservatives and make sure they are not within the first three ingredients on the list. Even gluten-free packaged options can have a lot of high fructose corn syrups (cookies, packaged foods) so if you truly do need to cut out gluten because of a gluten intolerance or Celiac disease, focus on other foods. Start to focus on eating more fruits, vegetables, seeds, legumes, and proteins, which are naturally gluten-free.

Number 5:

Working off what I eat will help me meet my health goals

If this was true, everyone would be able to be in great shape, but unfortunately, that is not how it works. Being mindless of what types of foods you eat and the amount you eat is not going to support your health goals. The food we eat has a purpose. Having the mindset of "I am going to eat this dessert or a certain food item and then go exercise or walk it off is another way of sabotaging your goals. For example, you have to walk an hour just to burn off 150-200 calories which can be equivalent to having about one food item, depending on what you eat. It's okay to eat all foods, but if you have a mindset of, I can eat it because I can work it off, this is misleading and doesn't create sustainable lifestyle habits that work for you.

Instead:

Make the foundation of your foods full of nutrient-dense options. Refer back to number 1 in this article to diversify your exercise routine. When the weight comes off slowly it is more manageable and less stressful than restricting, overly working out, and not enjoying the foods that you like to eat.

Jasmine Westbrooks, MS,RD,LD,CDCES