Diet Mistakes Can Influence Weight
Simple diet mistakes can derail your best efforts to get
back into that favourite pair of jeans. If the scale seems stuck, or your
weight drops off only to bounce back up, there's a chance you could be making
one of these few weight loss blunders
Relying on Crash Diets
Determined to lose 10 pounds fast, you turn to a crash diet.
Perhaps your plan calls for nothing but grapefruit or cabbage soup each day.
You slash your daily calories to fewer than 1,000 -- and sure enough, the
pounds melt away. But when you eat so few calories, you train your metabolism
to slow down. Once the diet is over, you have a body that burns calories more
slowly -- and you usually regain the weight
Skipping Breakfast
Skipping breakfast seems like a simple way to cut calories,
but the result can be insatiable hunger the rest of the day. This may lead to
unplanned snacking at the office and eating a super-size portion at lunch,
making calorie counts soars. But breakfasts that are high in protein and fiber
can reduce hunger throughout the day. In fact, studies show people who eat
breakfast every morning are more likely to maintain a healthy weight
Half eaten doughnut by computer
Young woman picking at a bowl of nuts
Empty cupcake wrappers beside laptop
Salted margarita on the rocks with lime
Young woman drinking water
Milk, butter, yogurt, cheese
fast-food employee gives a customer her order
Person standing on scale
Woman being fitted into dress
Bikini-clad woman getting into indoor pool
Losing Track of Your Snacks
Maybe you count calories meticulously at every meal, but
what about all those nibbles in between? There's the bag of pretzels at your
desk, the little slice of cake at an office party, the taste of your son's ice
cream cone. All of this mindless munching adds up and could sabotage an
otherwise well-planned diet. If you're serious about counting calories, you may
want to use a notebook to keep track of each bite
Not Snacking at All
While mindless snacking can pad your waistline, thoughtful
snacking may do just the opposite. People who eat several small meals and
snacks a day are more likely to control hunger and lose weight. Snacking helps
keep your metabolism in high gear, especially if the snacks are protein-rich.
Nuts are a good, high-protein choice, and research suggests people who snack on
nuts tend to be slimmer than those who don't.
Loading Up on Low-Fat
Low-fat products can play an important role in your diet.
Just remember that low-fat isn't the same as low-calorie and it's not a license
to take second and third helpings. If you pile your plate with low-fat cake,
you may end up eating more calories than if you had a smaller slice of regular
cake. The best way to know how much fat, sugar, and calories you're getting is
to check the nutritional label
Salted margarita on the rocks with lime
Young woman drinking water
Milk, butter, yogurt, cheese
fast-food employee gives a customer her order
Person standing on scale
Woman being fitted into dress
Bikini-clad woman getting into indoor pool
Sipping Too Many Calories
When counting calories, many of us tend to overlook what's
in our drinks. This is a big mistake when you consider that some fancy coffees
and alcoholic beverages have more than 500 calories. Even the calories in fruit
juice and soda can add up quickly. What's worse is that liquid calories don't
curb hunger. You're not going to eat any less after a high-calorie drink
Young woman drinking water
Milk, butter, yogurt, cheese
fast-food employee gives a customer her order
Person standing on scale
Woman being fitted into dress
Bikini-clad woman getting into indoor pool
Drinking Too Little Water
This is one of the simplest diet blunders to fix. Water is
essential for burning calories. If you let yourself get dehydrated, your
metabolism drags -- and that means slower weight loss. Research suggests adults
who drink eight or more glasses of water per day burn more calories than those
who drink less. So try adding a glass of water to every meal and snack
Ditching Dairy
Full-fat milk, cheese, and ice cream are taboo for many
dieters, but ditching dairy foods may be counterproductive. Some research
suggests the body burns more fat when it gets enough calcium and produces more
fat when it's calcium-deprived. Calcium supplements do not appear to yield the
same benefits, so dairy may have other compounds at work as well. Stick to
nonfat or low-fat dairy options
Person standing on scale
Woman being fitted into dress
Bikini-clad woman getting into indoor pool
Weighing Yourself Every Day
Weighing yourself daily is a recipe for frustration and
doesn't yield useful information. It's more important to look for a long-term
trend with weekly weigh-ins. If your goal is to lose 1 or 2 pounds a week,
you'll be satisfied to see those full-pound drops when you step on the scale.
The result is more motivating than the confusing swings that may accompany
daily weigh-ins
Setting Unrealistic Goals
Telling yourself you'll lose 20 pounds your first week is
probably setting yourself up for failure. If you know you won't be able to do
it, you may never start your diet in the first place. If you diet and lose 5
pounds in a week, instead of celebrating, you may feel discouraged that you
didn't reach your goal. A realistic goal is vital to successful dieting. If
you're not sure what your goal should be, talk to a dietitian.
Avoiding Exercise
When you don't exercise, you place the entire burden of
weight loss on your diet. If you become more active, you can eat more of the
things you like -- and still lose weight. The key is finding an exercise you
enjoy. If the treadmill seems tedious, try swimming, ballet, biking, or table
tennis, all of which burn more calories than walking. Spend time at different
activities until you find one you want to do on most days
0 blogger-facebook:
Post a Comment