The Top 5 Biggest Nutrition Myths

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NUTRITION. We are obsessed with it. 

There are so many different ways to approach food, largely because our goals and preferences vary so widely from person to person. 

Some of us want to lose fat. 

Some of us care about improving our health.

Some of us want to look like Arnold.

Then there’s some of us who just want to live life to the fullest. 😜

And whatever it is you’re looking for, there’s a diet out there for you. The overwhelming information and options out there make nutrition today both wonderful but challenging at the same time.

So, what’s CORRECT? What is the truth? 

At Lobo, we find that one of the necessary nutrition hurdles to tackle up front is not so much what nutrition is… but what it isn’t. 

Once we start debunking the myths we carry around food, we can start to learn what will really work for us, and that’s what we want to explore today. 

Here are the top 5 biggest nutrition myths we hear the most at CrossFit Lobo. 

1. I need to eat less to see the results I want.

A caloric deficit is technically required to lose weight, but that’s more to the story than that. When you’re in a severe caloric deficit, it can be that much more difficult to lose weight or put on muscle. There are a number of reasons for this. Severe caloric restriction can:

• Slow your metabolism
• Increase your body’s energy efficiency (burns fewer calories during the same activities)
• Create a “starve and binge” pattern
• Make you lethargic, less motivated, which decreases your overall activity levels and intensity

Secondly, majority of people aren’t fully certain how much food they consume, because they don’t actively track their food intake. How do you know you need to eat “less” when you don’t even know the base you’re comparing that “less” to?

Fortunately, many people have actually discovered that when they eat the right amount (which surprisingly is a lot more than they’re currently eating), their bodies are finally fueled properly to rev up their metabolism, help them perform in the gym, and promote more muscle growth. It’s paradoxical, but eating adequately to fuel yourself can help your body restore metabolism and muscle mass back to normal and in turn lowering fat levels. 

2. Low carbs is the way to go.

Carbs aren’t just delicious – they’re useful. Carbs provide fuel for both our bodies and our brains, and they also enable fat metabolism, according to Iowa State University. Even more, carbs help the body build muscle because they’re “protein sparing,” which means the body will look to glycogen for energy instead of breaking down existing muscle! (Read: Carbs help us build muscle, not lose muscle.)

So why do carbs get such a bad rap? Because there are a lot of refined and simple carbs that lack proper nutrients and contribute to the obesity epidemic (i.e. soda and fast food). 

I’ve met a lot of people with an unhealthy soda habit… I’ve yet to meet someone with an unhealthy fruit habit. 🤔

Carbs are often delicious, but that doesn’t make them bad for us. Especially for what we do in the gym – high intensity workouts and weight lifting – we need carbs to see the fruits of our labor! No pun intended.

3. I’m only losing weight if the scale tells me I am.

From the scale’s standpoint, getting your nutrition on track will accomplish two primary things: you’ll gain muscle and you’ll lose fat. When you start a rigorous workout routine such as the one we follow at CrossFit Lobo, you will start to gain muscle and likely burn fat at the same time. The thing is, your scale doesn’t know what you’re made of! 200 lb on the scale yesterday may not be the same as 200 lb on the scale tomorrow. Here’s an example of what that recomposition can look like:

Here’s another fun fact: You can find the results you’re looking for without even owning a scale. That’s right – you don’t have to use the scale ever again to gain muscle or lose fat!

4. I can either enjoy a great body or a great life. Not both. 

This type of black and white thinking may be convenient, but it’s not factual. We’d like to think a few weeks of hardcore diet and exercise can *finally* help us achieve the body of our dreams, but the truth is actually the complete opposite. Committing to a life-long process of moderate diet and exercise will go so much further in helping us achieve our goals and keep them.

By living a life of moderation over a long period of time, you can have the physique that makes YOU happy and the LIFE that makes you happy, too. In fact, the great part of having a challenging workout routine is that it necessitates eating enough to properly fuel yourself in the gym and fuel your recomposition, too!

5. Nutrition coaching is expensive.

This could be an article all on its own, but here are some things to keep in mind:

If you’re investing in your health, fitness, and overall growth, it’s tough to truly put a price tag on it. Do you put a price tag on the nights out with friends? Evenings spent watching TV? Why are these non-negotiable things we must have in life, but our personal development is a “maybe”? If you’re not satisfied with the results you’re seeing in life (that can be in or out of the gym!), then the first place to look is your priorities. 

With that out of the way, here’s the next point. You don’t always need the top-of-the-line, hyper-personalized service to see the results you’re looking for. For example, at CrossFit Lobo, we primarily offer semi-private group training. You could certainly pay a lot more for personal training and potentially see accelerated or pointed results, but that’s not to say the hybrid model we offer doesn’t work. It certainly does and it will continue to provide people with the results they’re looking for.

Similarly, you may not need a personal nutrition coach to get going or see results. 

So, what do we recommend?

Our personal recommendation for a nutrition service that works and is low-cost is Macrostax. 

Macrostax is like MyFitnessPal combined with a macros calculator and nutrition coach all-in-one. 

You can get personalized macros based on your personal stats, your activity level, and your goal (lose fat, maintain, build muscle).

You can track your macros similar to MyFitnessPal and get delicious recipe tips on how to best fill your macros.

And the best part? If you get stuck or have a question, you have unlimited access to nutrition coaches by chat who will help you along the way with any issues or questions that come up! You get all the best parts of having a nutrition coach without having to pay an arm and a leg for one.

Personal note: The best part of my experience with Macrostax is that I feel great during workouts, I’m hitting more PRs than ever before, and I’m gaining muscle and losing fat rapidly! To what degree you see these same results depends on what plan you choose and how well you stick to it, but ultimately this is a great option for people who still want the carbs, love eating food, want to enjoy their lives, and don’t want to pay a ton extra to see results. 

CrossFit Lobo members get 40% off their Macrostax subscription if you sign up between now and September. If you’re a CrossFit Lobo member, email us at [email protected] for the promo code.

Not a member, yet, but looking for results in a sustainable AND enjoyable way? Get started here.