Today, everyone is talking about healthy eating. Social media platforms constantly offer new diets, lists of “healthy” foods, weight-loss recommendations, and lifestyle advice. However, along with the growing popularity of this topic, the number of myths is also increasing — and they often take people further away from the results they want to achieve.
Why do even those who believe they follow a healthy diet not always feel better? Is it really necessary to eliminate fats? And why do diets almost never work in the long term?
Exclusively for the international magazine Business Woman, nutritionist, blogger, and founder of the “Eat Consciously” club Viktoriia Chernysh shared her professional experience, vision of healthy nutrition, and insights into the most common mistakes women make. For several years, she has been helping women develop healthier habits without strict restrictions and common misconceptions.
What became the main motivation for choosing nutrition as a profession?
“My journey into nutrition did not begin with curiosity, but with my own health challenges.”
Viktoriia admits that she never planned to connect her life with nutrition. Her professional path began with her own personal experience.
For a long time, she struggled with digestive issues, and after pregnancy, she also faced severe hair loss. Despite numerous consultations, medical tests, and examinations, she did not achieve the results she had hoped for.
It was then that she realized that responsibility for her health begins with the desire to understand the real causes of problems.
While studying nutrition, Viktoriia gradually learned how to analyze laboratory results, better understand the processes taking place in the body, and see the close connection between nutrition and overall well-being.
The knowledge she gained helped her restore her own health, correct nutritional deficiencies, and improve her quality of life.
Later, she began helping friends and acquaintances. As the number of requests grew through recommendations, this became the foundation for creating her own educational programs, challenges, and the “Eat Consciously” club.
Today, her main goal is to teach women to understand their bodies, analyze the causes of symptoms, and make decisions based not on popular internet advice, but on knowledge and a modern approach to health.
What are the most common nutrition mistakes you see among women today?
“The main issue is often not the amount of food, but its quality.”
According to Viktoriia Chernysh, one of the biggest problems of modern nutrition is the excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods.
These include snacks, processed meats, fast food, refined products, frequent unnecessary meals, and excessive sugar consumption. Such foods can negatively affect well-being even when people carefully monitor their calorie intake.
Another common issue concerns women who are trying to lose weight.
According to the expert, many women drastically reduce their food intake, stop eating after 6 p.m., or severely limit calories while keeping the same low-quality foods in their diet.
This, Viktoriia believes, is one of the biggest mistakes.
She explains that the same number of calories does not always mean the same benefit for the body. Some foods can support health, while others may negatively affect it.
That is why she recommends gradually replacing familiar products with healthier alternatives.
Instead of processed meat, she suggests choosing eggs, poultry, or natural meat. Instead of imitation seafood products, choose real seafood. White toast bread can be replaced with whole-grain bread.
According to her, a balanced diet should be based on simple natural foods: eggs, fish, meat, cottage cheese, hard cheese, butter, sour cream, vegetables, greens, berries, potatoes, grains, and healthy fats.
Why should women not be afraid of fats?
“The fear of fats is one of the biggest mistakes modern women make.”
Viktoriia explains that she often sees women completely removing fats from their diets because they believe it will help them lose weight faster.
In reality, this approach can negatively affect hormonal balance, gallbladder function, and digestion.
Healthy fats are essential for the body every day. These include butter, olive oil, fatty fish, avocado, fatty meat, and occasionally even small amounts of traditional animal fats.
At the same time, the nutritionist emphasizes that the problem is not fats themselves, but how people build their overall diet.
Many still consider a “perfect” menu to be dry buckwheat, chicken breast, and low-fat cottage cheese. However, such meals quickly become boring, do not bring satisfaction, and often lead people back to old habits.
That is why, Viktoriia believes, healthy eating should not only be nutritious but also enjoyable, diverse, and satisfying.
Why do many people follow a “healthy diet” but still fail to achieve the desired results?
“Many people only think they are eating healthy.”
According to Viktoriia Chernysh, one of the biggest challenges today is the enormous amount of contradictory information about healthy eating. Because of this, people often rely not on scientific knowledge, but on popular myths and trends.
The expert explains that many people believe they are making the right choices: they start their day with oatmeal and a banana or granola with honey, choose “fitness” snack bars, and add plenty of fruit to their diet. However, they still wonder why they do not lose weight, feel hungry soon after eating, or lack energy throughout the day.
According to the nutritionist, the problem is that many people are searching for a universal diet that will solve all their health and weight-related concerns.
Viktoriia believes that no restrictive diet can provide long-term results because strict limitations usually work only temporarily.
Instead, people should find a nutrition system that fits their lifestyle, does not create a constant feeling of restriction, and can be followed for years.
Only then does healthy eating stop being another short-term experiment and becomes a natural part of everyday life.
What factors, besides nutrition, have the greatest impact on health, energy, and overall well-being?
“There is no single pill or magic solution that can solve all problems.”
Viktoriia emphasizes that even the best diet cannot compensate for constant lack of sleep, chronic stress, or a lack of physical activity.
First and foremost, she recommends paying attention to sleep. According to the expert, the body needs around eight hours of quality rest, and it is better to go to sleep before midnight.
Another important factor is learning how to respond to stressful situations.
“Stress is not only the event happening around us, but also our reaction to it,” she explains.
Viktoriia also highlights the importance of physical activity. It does not necessarily have to mean intense workouts at the gym. The most important thing is to choose an activity that brings enjoyment and can naturally become part of daily life.
It can be walking, swimming, yoga, fitness, or strength training.
At the same time, the nutritionist warns that if a person constantly feels exhausted, has significant deficiencies, or experiences health issues, forcing themselves into intense workouts is not the right approach.
First, it is important to restore the body, balance nutrition, identify possible deficiencies if necessary, and only then gradually increase physical activity.
In her opinion, health should always be viewed as a complete system, because only a comprehensive approach can provide sustainable results.
Health begins with everyday habits
Today, more and more people understand that there are no quick fixes when it comes to health. Real changes begin with simple but consistent actions: quality sleep, balanced nutrition, regular movement, and paying attention to the signals of your own body.
According to Viktoriia Chernysh, this is the foundation of a truly healthy lifestyle.
“You need to learn how to understand your body, recognize cause-and-effect relationships, and gradually build habits that you can maintain throughout your life. That is when energy, good health, and stable results appear.”
Healthy eating is not about constant restrictions, exhausting diets, or chasing fast results. It is about making conscious choices for yourself, your health, and your quality of life.And it is exactly these small but consistent changes that create meaningful transformations over time
Photo: from Viktoriia Chernysh’s personal archive