4 myths that cause weight gain and illness

(BPT) - We’ve all heard questionable information and advice about health and weight loss over the years. It could be from well-intentioned friends, a story on the internet, celebrity statements on social media, or the latest media story. But Dr. Benjamin Bikman, a leading metabolic scientist at Brigham Young University and the best-selling author of “Why We Get Sick,” is using legitimate science to help set the record straight to help people get much healthier.

“There is a great deal of misinformation out there,” said Bikman. “Some of it is from simple misunderstanding, some of it is willful deception to push an agenda, but almost all of it has absolutely no basis in human clinical research, and it’s harming a lot of people’s health and weight.”

Myth #1 - My metabolism is slowing down

Many people believe that as we age, our metabolism (the rate at which we utilize calories for energy) decreases. Not so, says Bikman.

“Contrary to popular belief, our metabolic rate doesn’t change as we age,” said Bikman. “Instead, metabolism is almost always coupled to our body weight. Interestingly, when someone starts to gain weight, their metabolic rate will actually go up. And if they lose weight, their metabolic rate will go down.”

Bikman says that instead of metabolism slowing down, far more people “break” their metabolism by following poor advice. “There’s a popular weight loss reality show where people starve themselves and exercise like crazy to lose an incredible amount of weight in a relatively short period of time,” said Bikman. “That can certainly work in the short-term, but there’s a reason you never see reunion shows on these weight loss programs — they don’t work long-term.”

Myth #2 - Exercise can make up for a bad diet

You may be tempted to buy-in to the idea that a good workout can compensate for a bad diet. That’s simply not the case for almost anyone, according to Dr. Bikman.

“To avoid any confusion, I’ll say that everyone should exercise 5-6 times a week,” said Bikman. “Though it’s less for weight loss than it is for a host of other health benefits including cardio and brain health, your ability to maintain balance as you age, and especially for hormones and proper nutrient absorption.”

According to Bikman, the best kind of exercise is the kind you’ll actually do on a regular basis.

“But that doesn’t mean you can outrun, or out-exercise a bad diet — that’s a particularly dangerous myth,” said Bikman. “Even the heaviest workouts will only burn a few hundred calories, while eating the wrong kinds of food are not only resistant to being ‘burned’, they actively encourage your body to store body fat.”

Bikman adds that if you want to “burn” more calories, you can actually do it more effectively through a proper diet. “Your diet likely got you into the shape you’re in, but it also can help get you into much better shape now and in the future.”

Myth #3 - All calories are the same

The expression "A calorie is a calorie,” is one saying that particularly concerns Dr. Bikman.

“Outside the context of metabolic health, that may be correct, but it is absolutely misunderstood in the context of human nutrition and certainly in the context of what we do with energy in the body,” said Bikman. “Yet people and experts repeat the same ‘calories in, calories out’ myth. By that same logic, you could argue that 2,000 calories of soda pop are treated the same within the body as 2,000 calories of properly balanced macronutrients. One essentially kills the body and makes you fat and sick, while the other sustains life and helps you thrive.”

“And that saying completely ignores the impact on your body’s systems and hormones,” said Bikman. “Hormones, like insulin, have a profound effect on what our body does by way of burning calories, storing calories or even efficiently wasting calories.”

“By limiting carbs, and consuming the right blend of proteins and healthy fats, you’ll not only have much more sustainable energy,” said Bikman, “it will help accelerate your metabolism, help strengthen your immune system, and even aid in gut health and brain health.”

Myth #4 - A low-fat diet is the best for weight loss

If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, there is a good chance that you’ve at least considered a low-fat diet. In 1977, the US Dietary Guidelines were published and even without evidence from randomized controlled trials and testing, these guidelines recommended a significant reduction in dietary fat.

“People have been told to not eat fats that are clinically shown to be healthy in favor of refined carbohydrates, and the results have been devastating,” said Bikman. “Since 1977, the average adult American is nearly 30 pounds heavier; as reported by the Centers for Disease Control, a government agency.”

Bikman shares that there’s overwhelming evidence of the benefits of a high-fat diet for overall health.

“Fats not only help you feel full, they help with brain health, gut health and metabolic health,” said Bikman. “This doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy carbs, but you need to realize that there are no essential carbs; just essential amino acids (from protein), and essential fatty acids.”

“Focus on a wide spectrum of healthy fats from animal sources (like eggs, beef, salmon) and fruit sources (olive, coconut and avocado),” said Bikman.

Bringing solutions from the lab to the real world

Even with all of the information that Bikman shares in his speeches and interviews, he is constantly asked by people around the world what they should do for their health.

"Ideally, we all would have the knowledge, time, discipline and budget to plan, purchase and prepare perfect meals," said Bikman. "But it simply doesn't happen; people get busy, they get stressed and they make unhealthy choices that derail their health goals."

It became apparent to Bikman that he needed to be part of the solution to help people achieve their best health more quickly, and especially to assist those that don't always have the time, knowledge or discipline to eat healthy. In response, Bikman and his co-founding team of nutrition and industry experts recently created HLTH Code Complete Meal.

Bikman says these carefully formulated meal shakes are designed to promote healthy weight management, gut health, brain health, even hair, skin and nail health. HLTH Code Complete Meal features an optimized, science-backed blend of protein, collagen, healthy fats, apple cider vinegar, probiotics, fiber, vitamins and minerals — with no added sugar or any artificial ingredients.

"HLTH Code Complete Meal is based on research, not fads," said Bikman. "An incredible amount of work went into making this nutritionally balanced and optimized, yet we knew that if it didn't taste good, no one would use them consistently."

Solving hunger pangs the right way

When it comes to eating, Bikman says it's easy to consume plenty of calories and still feel hungry. This is because the calories consumed are not the right types of calories to provide essential nutrition. He refers to this as "mis-nourishment" and he says it's ruining many people's health.

"Each HLTH Code Complete Meal shake is packed with optimized amounts of these ingredients to leave you feeling full and energized for hours," said Bikman. "Yet it's more convenient and affordable than virtually any meal you could make or buy."

Bikman says the shakes are quick and easy to make: Just add two scoops of Creamy Vanilla or Chocolate Macadamia Complete Meal Powder to 8 oz. of cold water and shake or blend. For general wellness, he recommends replacing one meal daily. To reset your health or for weight loss, replace up to two meals per day.

"I have more energy and mental clarity throughout the day, and I'm not hungry for about four hours after each shake," said one reviewer.

Another reviewer shares, “They are tasty. In addition, they fill me up and keep me full for the entire afternoon. I have managed to pass a weight loss plateau by using these as my lunch every day at work.”

Does HLTH Code make weight loss easy?

According to Bikman, the best health starts with the right blend of nutrition. Increased energy; feeling more vibrant; a stronger immune system; a clearer mind; improved gut health; and an improved appearance are some of the benefits from improving one's nutrition.

"The comprehensive benefits of HLTH Code Complete Meal are especially helpful if you're trying to lose weight," said Bikman. "Weight loss is rarely easy. There has to be the right changes in both hormones and caloric balance to signal to the body that it's time to start burning, not storing, fat."

Bikman adds that based on the best available studies on human metabolism, along with exercise, HLTH Code Complete Meal helps people lose weight without the need for counting every calorie.

Satisfaction guaranteed

If you're nervous about trying something new and making changes to your nutrition plan, don't be. Bikman stands by his HLTH Code Meal Replacement products and is willing to guarantee your satisfaction.

"You have nothing to lose (except those extra pounds) and everything to gain — in terms of wellness and confidence," said Bikman.

Indeed, if you've been looking for improved wellness and healthy weight management, then HLTH Code Meal Replacement could well be your answer. For exclusive savings on your first order, visit getHLTH.com and enter the discount code BP10 at checkout.