Living in Austin, where vegan, organic and gluten-free are conversational buzzwords, there is a lot of pressure on Longhorn collegiettesTM to be super-healthy and look our best. When I moved back to Austin this year, I was inspired to get myself out of my weight-loss rut; but I found that some of the advice I had been following religiously for years was actually holding me back from looking and feeling my best. If you feel like you are stuck in your attempt to lose weight or be healthier, these tips may help you out, too!
Myth #1: Skipping breakfast will make you gain weight.
Texas Tip: Skipping breakfast if you truly are not hungry is a smart choice. Forcing your body to eat when your brain is not signaling hunger is a bad practice at any time of the day. If you tend to wake up in the morning feeling nauseous, like myself, don’t eat anything until you are actually hungry! I adopted this practice when I moved back to Austin three weeks ago, and I’ve lost five pounds without even trying. That being said, skipping breakfast has been proven to affect your ability to perform well on memory-based tests, so be sure to eat something before a quiz or exam. On regular days, pack a light, healthy snack in your backpack and wait to eat until your stomach rumbles. Your body is good at telling you when you need food: listen to it!
Myth #2: Caffeine is bad for you, and you should avoid it completely.
Texas Tip: Drinking a small amount of caffeine before working out can boost your metabolism and cause you to burn more calories. Caffeine, especially when consumed in green tea, can be a beneficial boost to trimming your waistline and delivers vital antioxidants to keep your skin and hair looking healthy. On a side note – people who feel anxious and jittery after drinking any caffeine should find alternative energy boosts, as elevated anxiety levels can actually cause you to gain weight. For those who do not experience side effects, caffeine in moderation can actually help you to feel and look your best!
Myth #3: Eating several small meals throughout the day is better than eating three larger ones.
Texas Tip: Everyone is different, and the most important thing is to eat when your body is hungry! Some people lose weight by snacking throughout the day, while some feel their best when they eat two or three regular meals. One day, my body may tell me to eat every couple of hours, while the next day it may only ask for one meal at lunch! Deciding when and how much to eat should not dominate your daily schedule, because obsessing over your food routine will most likely cause you to overeat.
Myth #4: Eating lots of protein will keep me slim.
Texas Tip: It really depends what kind of protein you are consuming. If you consume mostly plant protein, then yes, protein will keep you slim. However, if you get most of your protein from red meats and processed meats like bacon and sausage, your protein intake is not healthy! These cause diabetes and weight gain because our bodies are not suited for lots of meat consumption. Cut your meat servings down to three or four per week, and replace some of your protein with beans, legumes and protein-rich grains like quinoa. Food author Michael Pollan says it best: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”