In the world of nutrition, health and training, you hear thousands of different stories every day. This can make it very difficult for the (inexperienced) athlete to know which information to follow and which not. Therefore, we have put together some facts and fables for you.
Health factor 1 – Exercise gives you more energy (fact)
No matter how exhausted you are from exercising, you will eventually have more energy. This is because exercise releases more endorphins, a substance produced naturally in the body that makes us feel happy, euphoric and full of energy.
Health tip 2 – Exercise alone and not watching what you eat will make you lose weight (myth)
When you exercise, you burn more calories than you normally would without exercising but exercising also consumes more energy. This leads to an increased appetite. If you give in to this appetite by continuing your (unhealthy) eating habits and eating the calories you’ve burned, exercise will not help you lose the extra pounds.
Health tip 3 – Alcohol makes you fat (myth)
Alcohol is often associated with a belly. The term “beer belly”, for example, refers to a protruding belly. Some studies find a link between alcohol consumption and weight, but not others. However, there is no evidence that alcohol makes you fat more than other products that are also high in calories. That doesn’t mean you are good to go however, the calories still count!
Health factor 4 – Exercise makes you more resistant to disease (Fact)
Regular exercise has many health benefits. It improves fitness, strengthens muscles, makes people less depressed and you feel fitter. Moreover, you can also exercise together and make it a social activity. Exercise reduces the risk of various health conditions and, in combination with a good diet, prevents obesity. The Dutch Centre for Sports Research recommends adults exercise at least 2.5 hours per week. Are you someone who likes to move? How about a walking holiday instead of a beach holiday? Think of the Alta Via Dolomiti 2, for example. Or how about the Alta Via 1 Dolomites?
Health factor 5 – More muscle mass means more energy consumption (fact)
Muscles consume energy throughout the day, so even when at rest they use more energy. This means you can eat more, which is great, right?
Health factor 6 – Too many eggs are bad for you (myth)
Eggs are not bad for you. However, you need to watch your total intake of saturated fats and not overdo it. If eggs fall into this category, they are an excellent source of fat as the fats in eggs are mainly unsaturated. Moreover, dietary cholesterol has a little direct effect on blood cholesterol levels. This is because your body strictly regulates it under the influence of many other factors such as body composition and intake of all other nutrients in your diet.
Health factor 7 – Frozen vegetables are less healthy than fresh vegetables (myth)
Frozen vegetables are frozen almost immediately after harvest, so they usually contain as many or even slightly more vitamins than fresh vegetables. The longer the vegetables are stored, the more vitamins are lost. Vegetables in jars usually contain fewer vitamins than fresh or frozen vegetables and are by definition less healthy.
Health tip 8 – Drink at least two litres of water every day (fact)
OK, maybe a small correction: the amount of water depends on the intensity of your work/sports. Do you work physically or do you do a lot of sport? Then it is advisable to drink more than 1.5 litres. Do you have to drink 1.5 litres of water? No, you can also drink coffee, tea or other drinks. The important thing here is not to chase your body with sugary drinks. Drinking water is of course the healthiest option. If you find this difficult, you can also add fruit to the water to give it an extra taste.
