Celebrity trainer Sam Wood reveals five of the worst diet tips – and why they make you put on weight

As the internet becomes increasingly saturated with weight loss and diet tips, you could be forgiven for struggling to tell constructive advice from dangerous fads.

Social media sensation Sam Wood is a personal trainer and nutrition coach who advocates a moderate approach to health and well being.

Mr Wood is best known for his 28 by Sam Wood fitness plan which focuses on a balanced diet and simple, sustainable workouts.

In a recent post on his website, Mr Wood debunked five of the most commonly believed diet tips and revealed the nutritional mantras you should be following for healthy, maintained weight loss – right in time for summer.

Mr Wood (pictured) debunked five of the most commonly believed diet tips doing your more harm than good

LIMITING CALORIES

While many diets preach a calorie limitation of somewhere around the 1,200 mark, Mr Wood said this teaching is misguided.

Dramatically reducing your calorie intake may result in short term weight loss, but according to the fitness coach you won’t continue to lose weight if you fail to get the nutrients your body requires to function.

‘What is most important is that you look at where these calories are coming from more than how many you are having,’ he said, adding that eating nothing but bread and chocolate to reach your 1,200 limit will lead to malnutrition.

Eating too little will also place your body in starvation mode, where it begins to slow your metabolism in order to hold onto whatever energy it can.

A sluggish metabolic rate means that weight loss will not occur. 

'What is most important is that you look at where these calories are coming from more than how many you are having' (Mr Wood is pictured with Eve, the daughter of his fiancee Snezana Markovski)

‘What is most important is that you look at where these calories are coming from more than how many you are having’ (Mr Wood is pictured with Eve, the daughter of his fiancee Snezana Markovski)

LOW FAT DIET MEANS FAT LOSS

According to the former Bachelor, while we should monitor our intake of saturated fat it is more important to limit sugar consumption if we really want to shed those excess pounds.

Mr Wood recommended choosing whole foods which go through a minimal amount of processing, as many important nutrients are lost and sugary preservatives often added.

He advised ignoring labels saying low fat and opting for full fat products instead for healthy, balanced nutrition.

Mr Wood recommended choosing whole foods which go through a minimal amount of processing

Mr Wood recommended choosing whole foods which go through a minimal amount of processing

CUT CARBS AT ALL COSTS

In recent years it has become accepted that carbs are not the cause of significant weight gain – uncontrolled portion sizes are.

While eliminating carbs completely will send the body into ketosis, a rapid fat burning state, drastically reducing your carbohydrate intake means limiting your fibre consumption at the same time which is essential for gut health.

Remaining in a prolonged state of ketosis will also send your body into starvation mode which, as mentioned above, will cause the body to hold onto excess weight at any cost.

Sustainable weight loss plans should include good quality carbs to reap the benefits of nutrients, energy and fibre without overdoing it on the pasta and risotto.

Sustainable weight loss plans should include good quality carbs for energy and fibre (pictured with fiancee Snezana)

Sustainable weight loss plans should include good quality carbs for energy and fibre (pictured with fiancee Snezana)

JUICE TO DETOX THE BODY

Mr Wood said that while juicing can be a healthy addition to your diet, the body needs something stronger to rid itself of toxins completely.

Raw, homemade juices do contain some beneficial enzymes if consumed straight away, but they don’t contain fibre or protein which are both essential for detoxification.

‘If a detox is your aim, stick to a very clean wholefood diet to get the fibre and protein you need and include juices as snacks if you wish,’ Mr Wood advised.

'If a detox is your aim, stick to a very clean wholefood diet to get the fibre and protein you need and include juices as snacks if you wish'

‘If a detox is your aim, stick to a very clean wholefood diet to get the fibre and protein you need and include juices as snacks if you wish’

SKIP MEALS

While many people take to skipping meals and going to bed hungry in attempts to lose weight, Mr Wood said doing so can actually have the opposite effect.

Foregoing meals will cause the body to drop into starvation mode as well as slowing your metabolism which means weight loss will not occur.

It can also lead to binge eating later in the day which is pointless especially if you gorge on processed ready meals high in sugar and additives.

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