fbpx
Connect with us

Lifestyle

“Dieting can be dangerous!” Here are 6 Dieting Myths Most M’sians Believe That Threaten Our Health

Published

Happy Fresh Feat Image 2
Source: Zomato & Yahoo

When we no longer fit into that old pair of skinny jeans, many of us go on a diet to lose weight. But did you do enough research before coming up with a diet plan? If you didn’t, you should know that it can be dangerous! This is why we decided to debunk six common dieting myths most Malaysians believe that can actually threaten our health.

 

MYTH 1: “Intermittent fasting promotes fast weight loss” 

FACT: While intermittent fasting can promote weight loss, the results depend heavily on our lifestyles and dietary practices.

The most common intermittent fasting diet is known as the 16/8 method, where we spend sixteen hours fasting and restricting our eating window to eight hours. This diet can be achieved by simply not eating after dinner, and then skipping breakfast the next day. However, if you overeat or mainly consume processed and high-calorie food during your eating window, you’re more likely to gain weight instead of lose weight!

cook e1635933859569

 

MYTH 2: “Drinking protein shakes make you muscular”

FACT: Different protein powders actually serve a wide range of purposes, such as muscle building, weight management, even weight loss!

Contrary to popular belief, protein powder alone does not buff you up. While gym goers drink protein shakes after workouts to increase muscle endurance and muscle mass, non-gym goers can also drink protein powder to manage or lose weight. This is because protein powder boosts metabolism and reduces hunger, which contributes to weight loss.

wheyProtein 875443812 770x533 1 745x490 1

 

MYTH 3: “Avoid all carbs and fats to lose weight”

FACT: Our bodies need whole carbs and good fats to function well.

When we say carbs and fats induce weight gain, we’re actually referring to refined carbs and trans fats in desserts, syrups, fried chicken, and so on. In fact, there are carbs and fats that introduce health benefits, such as whole carbs and monosaturated fats. Whole carbs can be found in oats, whole grains, and potatoes, while monosaturated fats can be found in olive oil and nuts — these are all nutritious food your body needs!

Without any carbs and fats in your diet, you’re more likely to experience fatigue, dizziness, and vitamin deficiency. Besides, carb or fat-free diets can also cause memory loss and mess up your cholesterol levels!

photo 1612179343574 31b219a3915c

 

MYTH 4: “Calorie is all that matters in a diet” 

FACT: While counting your calorie intake is important, we should not overlook our daily nutrient needs. 

Being too obsessed with eating fewer calories than our body needs can result in fatigue and malnutrition. Many dieting myths taught us to demonize high-calorie foods, ignoring the fact that there are many high-calorie foods that are actually nutritious too, such as salmon, whole milk, and cheese. Hence, it is more important to have a balanced diet where different types of nutrients are consumed.

A rule of thumb for healthy eating is to choose colourful food during every meal, such as a salad bowl that consists of tomatoes, carrots, beans, broccoli, and blueberries. To manage your calorie intake, be sure to opt for low-calorie food like eggs, spinach, and potatoes after a high-calorie meal!

caloriess

 

MYTH 5: “Eating supper will lead to obesity” 

FACT: Snacking healthily and lightly before bed can promote better sleep and stabilize morning blood sugar. 

Not all late-night eaters gain weight — it depends on the food that is consumed. Healthy suppers consist of food that are nutritious and can be digested easily, such as cherry tomatoes, dark chocolate, even mixed nuts. But if you can’t sleep without some teh tarik and roti canai from your favourite mamak, don’t be surprised if you put on weight!

Is it okay to go to bed hungry, then? Sleeping on an empty stomach can result in a big food binge the next day, which disrupts your blood sugar level and metabolism. Additionally, hunger before bed can also be a sign of malnutrition and overtiredness, so be sure to keep an eye on your diet and sleeping routines! 

mamak

 

MYTH 6: “Clean eating is the best diet”

FACT: Consuming fresh whole foods or a balanced homecooked meal is actually more practical and beneficial than clean eating. 

A clean diet is a concept where all processed food should be avoided and only consume whole food. This means saying goodbye to our favourite burgers, canned sardines, ais kacang, and many more! It is extremely difficult to practice a clean diet — especially in a food heaven like Malaysia, and hence, many clean eaters tend to develop orthorexia nervosa, otherwise known as “fixation on righteous eating” and this can affect their mental health. The truth is that no food is entirely “good” or “bad”, and regardless of what we eat, we’ll gain weight if we overeat.

woman eating healthy

Imagine you’re running late for work and your stomach is growling, but you can’t grab a sandwich from the convenience store because the ham and mayo are “unclean”. How troublesome is that?! Therefore, instead of having a rigid clean diet, we can opt for more flexible dietary practices, such as making more homecooked meals using fresh groceries. Cooking your own food will also give you the flexibility to cut down on certain ingredients like salt, sugar, artificial flavourings, and so forth. Too busy to shop for groceries? We have the best solution for you!

If you’re looking for fresh groceries to kick start a healthy lifestyle, you can count on HappyFresh to deliver fresh AND affordable groceries right to your doorstep! 

 

Still think online grocery shopping is too pricey and risky? Here’s how the premium services of HappyFresh prove you wrong: 

  1. All groceries are of premium freshness and standard prices: Once your order is placed, your well-trained personal shopper would handpick the freshest groceries that are reasonably priced. Unless you select a preferred delivery date, your groceries will be delivered to you within the same day!
  2. Claim exclusive deals & discounts daily: When you shop on HappyFresh, expect a variety of exclusive deals, ranging from promo codes to Buy X Free Y promotions, free delivery, and bundle discounts! Not to mention that shopping for groceries online already saves you fuel, parking fees, energy, and time!
  3. Secure and diverse payment methods: HappyFresh allows you to pay securely with cash, credit or debit card, and e-wallets like Boost and GrabPay.

nov kv hori

 

The benefits don’t end here! We have more good news for you: 

On 11th November 2021, Malaysians can shop for groceries via HappyFresh and enjoy FREE delivery with no minimum spend

Yes, you read that right! Mark your calendar and enjoy free shipping for your groceries when you shop via the HappyFresh mobile app! Now you know where to shop for groceries on the go, wherever you are and whenever you want!

HappyFreshLifestylePicture 4x4 1

 

What are you waiting for? Click here and download the HappyFresh mobile app now! Otherwise, you can also find the app on these platforms: 

Android users: Google Play Store
IOS users: App Store

 

For the latest deals and updates, follow HappyFresh on social media!

Facebook: @HappyFreshMY 
Instagram: @happyfresh_my
Official website: happyfresh.my

 

What do you love most about online grocery shopping? Let us know in the comments below!

 

Source: Yahoo
Source: Lawrence Lim
Source: dietdoctor
Source: zomato
Source: eatthis
Source: HappyFresh
Source: HappyFresh

Just In

anwarft anwarft
News4 hours ago

PMX Challenges Former Leaders To Donate Half Their Wealth To Show They Care About the People

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has challenged former leaders to surrender half of their wealth if they are truly...

johorft johorft
News4 hours ago

WATCH: Men Caught Brawling at Johor Causeway in Viral Video, Police on the Hunt for Suspects

Police are searching for two men seen brawling on the Johor Causeway yesterday in a video shared on social media....

feat image b40 fuel feat image b40 fuel
News6 hours ago

Starting in March, All Diesel Sold in Indonesia Must Be ‘B40’, Which Contains 40% Palm Oil

Indonesia is set to reach full implementation of its mandatory B40 biodiesel programme, which contains 40% palm oil fuel, starting...

feat image kluang roundabout feat image kluang roundabout
News6 hours ago

Kluang Man Drives Axia Around Roundabout for Hours, PDRM Confirms He Has Schizophrenia

An incident at the Mahkota roundabout in Kluang, Johor, caught the attention of Malaysians recently. Locals spotted a white Perodua...

feat image china malaysia feat image china malaysia
News8 hours ago

M’sia Ranks 3rd Among ASEAN Destinations for Chinese Tourists, to Aim for 6 Million China Visitors by 2025

The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) aims to attract 6 million Chinese tourists to Malaysia this year following...

ftloan ftloan
News10 hours ago

Family of Suicide Victim Gets Targeted & Harassed by Loan Shark Demanding Repayment

A recent news report stated that the family of a man who took his own life last year says they...

feat image moe ai feat image moe ai
News11 hours ago

MOE is Using AI to Identify “At-Risk Students” in M’sia & Intervene Before They Drop Out of School or Skip SPM

Students in Malaysia skipping Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) have been an ongoing problem for the Ministry of Education (MOE), with...

feat image kl crime feat image kl crime
News1 day ago

Crime Index 2025: Kuala Lumpur is the 3rd Most Dangerous City in Southeast Asia, 5th in Asia

Numbeo, a crowd-sourced online database of perceived quality of life metrics, recently published the Crime Index 2025, which doesn’t make...

Announcement

Latest Videos

TRENDING TODAY