Here's some POSSIBLE reasons you're sabotaging your slim-down efforts, and how to get back on track.
1. You're LOADING up on whole grains. Let's be honest-while whole grain versions are a good replacement for the white flour variety, many of these snacks can still be high in fat, sugar, and sodium, not to mention CALORIES. People who eat the greatest number of servings of MINIMALLY processed whole-grain foods-not snack foods, like crackers, cookies, or chips-enjoy the biggest weight-controlled benefits. Solution: Aim to increase your intake of brown and wild rice, oatmeal, and other whole-grain cereals and breads. Not only do these foods contain fiber, which helps curb your appetite, but they're also low on the glycemic index (meaning they are absorbed in your bloodstream slower allowing you to go longer without feeling hungry).
2. You allow yourself a "CHEAT" day...or TWO. You've probably learned from experience that denying yourself all treats when you're dieting can set you up for a binge. Your solution? Being "good" during the week and allowing yourself to splurge on weekends. While this may seem like a moderate approach to weight loss, it's still a feast-or-famine mentality that can easily backfire. Dieters shed a small amount of weight each weekday gained most of it back between Friday night and Monday morning! Solution: When it comes to shedding pounds, consistency is KEY. In other words, you'll be more successful if you allow yourself a 150-to 200 calorie treat a few times a week, rather than waiting until Friday night to splurge.
3. You make your own meals. There's little dispute that frequently eating out can wreak havoc on a diet. That may be true, but if you're not vigilant about certain things like, not picking at food while you cook (a BIG one), adding just a bit of extra butter or oil, using a heavy hand with dressings and sauces, and nibbling leftovers as you're clearing the table can tack on hundreds of calories to an otherwise healthy meal. Solution: Pull out your measuring cups and spoons and use them throughout the entire cooking process. A food scale can help you weigh items that can't be measured in cups, like poultry, fish, and cheese. To keep from snacking or tasting your meal, try chewing gum or sucking on a mint! Lastly, when you're ready to eat, take a small portion of food and put it on a salad plate rather than a dinner plate. Then, put the rest of the meal into single-serving storage containers. Popping them directly into the fridge or freezer will deter you from polishing off a second dinner soon after finishing your first.
4. You squeeze in workouts. No matter how tired you are in the morning or after work, you still push through your cardio session. Better to burn a few calories than none at all, right? Not necessarily. If you're truly feeling exhausted, it's more beneficial to ditch your workout and allow yourself an extra hour of shut-eye. Why? When you're sleep-deprived, your hormone levels change, stimulating cravings for starches and sweets. Your willpower diminishes too. Solution: Few of us can get eight hours of sleep and have the time for an hour-long workout, so get seven hours of sleep and schedule your workout earlier in the day, as exercising within four hours of bedtime may hinder your ability to fall asleep.
5. You eat slowly, savoring every bite. While this works alone, lingering in a group situation seems to have the opposite effect. Studies have shown that people take in 40 to 70 percent more calories when dining with family and friends. Solution: When dining out with friends, have a dining strategy in place so you don't have to think about the calories at the table. For example, decide whether you'll have a slice of bread or a drink. You might also order an appetizer as your main dish instead of an entree. You want dessert? Skip the bread, pick a lighter meal like a salad and split a dessert with a friend.
6. You enlisted a friend to help. Teaming up with a buddy seems more fun than dieting alone, which is why you talked your best friend into joining that weight-loss program with you. Unfortanately, her uneuthusiastic attitude can take a toll on your goals. People who make the most successful weight-loss partners are those whoe are committed to losing 10 percent of their body weight and plan to stick with the program for a set period of time. Bottom line is if you have to convince a friend to join you in a diet or exercise regime, she probably isn't ready. Solution: You may be better off going it alone or finding someone who can pull her own weight.
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