Bend These Weight-Loss Rules
Great news! You can cheat on your diet without suffering the consequences, if you know how.
If living with your parents taught you anything, it's that the more rules there are, the more you want to break them. And losing weight can seem like nothing but rules. Fortunately, rebellion has its advantages: Disregarding strict food guidelines could be the secret to a successful slim-down. A study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that people with a flexible approach to eating—one that allows for sweets and other perceived slip-ups-had a better record of maintaining weight loss than dieters with an "all or nothing" strategy. How can you do it without skidding into a diet danger zone? We got top nutrition pros to confess the supposedly vital weight-loss principles they violate. Employ their secrets to stay satisfied without gaining an ounce.
The rule: eat five small meals a day
Who breaks it: Renee Melton, R.D., director of nutrition services for the mobile weight-loss program Sensei. "My schedule doesn't give me time to prepare healthy snacks, much less eat them, so I make sure I get what I need in three squares a day."
Why you can, too: The "graze, don't gorge" philosophy is based on the premise that having frequent small meals keeps your blood sugar steady, your metabolism ramped up, and your appetite in check. But some studies show a link between obesity and eating more than three times a day, most notably in women. More frequent noshing means more opportunities to overeat. Plus, says Melton, having to constantly think about what you're going to eat can be stressful, especially for emotional eaters.
Do it right: To keep hunger pangs from overriding your willpower throughout the day, eat fiber-rich foods at mealtimes—they make you feel fuller and take longer to digest. Shoot for 21 to 25 grams a day, starting with a high-fiber grain cereal like Kashi's GoLean with low-fat milk and fruit. For lunch and dinner, Melton says, fill half your plate with produce, a quarter with carbs, and the other quarter with lean protein.
The rule: avoid white bread, rice and pasta
Who breaks it: Christine Avanti, clinical sports nutritionist and author of Skinny Chicks Don't Eat Salads. She was raised on homemade "white" pasta by her Italian immigrant grandparents.
Why you can, too: Carb lovers have long been warned against highly processed products because they're believed to cause a blood sugar spike. But research published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that people on high-carb diets were slimmer than their pastaphobic counterparts even when they threw "bad" carbs like white bread into the mix of fiber-rich whole grains.
Trick or treat? Steer clear of these 20 worst foods in your supermarket.
Do it right: Follow the U. S. Department of Agriculture recommendation of six ounces of carbs each day, and make sure at least half come from whole grains. Then measure out a serving of refined carbs, such as a cup of cooked white pasta, and dig in guilt-free. If a single cup isn't gonna do it for you, pair your pasta with filling protein, like a meaty red sauce made with extra-lean ground turkey.
The rule: don't eat late at night
Who breaks it: Ann G. Kulze, M.D., author of Dr. Ann's 10-Step Diet: A Simple Plan for Permanent Weight Loss and Lifelong Vitality. She sits down to dinner every night at 9 p.m. or later.
Why you can, too: "A calorie consumed at 9 p.m. isn't handled any differently by your body than one consumed at 9 a.m.," Kulze says. It's less about when you eat than how much you eat. A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that obese women were more likely than svelte women to eat meals late at night, but they were also more likely to eat more, period. And a study by the USDA showed that your metabolism hums along at the same rate no matter how you time your meals. And delaying dinner does have one undisputed advantage: It helps eliminate late-night snacking, one of the worst diet busters.
Do it right: One reason you're likely to stuff yourself late at night is that you're ravenous from not having eaten since lunchtime. A healthy snack in the late afternoon (around four if you're planning to eat at nine) can help you avoid this pitfall. Studies have found that the fat in nuts is particularly satisfying, so grab a 100-calorie pack of almonds when you're on the go. When you finally find the time for dinner, actually sit at a table, and nix the distractions. Scarfing a meal in the car or in front of the TV means you usually aren't paying attention to what—or how much—you're eating.
Boost your energy and even lose weight with these satisfying snack ideas.
The rule: skip dessert
Who breaks it: Judith S. Stern, Sc.D., a professor of nutrition and internal medicine at the University of California, Davis. She has a "few bites of something decadent" when she dines out.
Why you can, too: We all discover a little more room beneath our waistbands when the dessert tray rolls by. Studies show that when you're offered a variety of foods, you never achieve what's known as taste-specific satiety; your appetite is stimulated anew as each novel flavor is introduced. Outsmart your taste buds by planning ahead. Stern's trick: She looks at the dessert menu along with the main menu, and if she decides to end the meal with, say, a dark-chocolate tart, she'll always choose a salad dressed in a little olive oil and vinegar to start and then have an appetizer as her entree.
Do it right: Desserts are unsurprisingly high in calories, and chain restaurants tend to serve enormous portions—an Applebee's chocolate chip cookie sundae has 1,620 calories and 73 grams of saturated fat! Order off the kid's menu or get something to share. Also consider sorbets and chocolate-dipped fruit, which satisfy a sweet tooth for fewer calories. Dining at home? Try the chocolate raspberry parfait Avanti prepares: Top a half cup of fat-free ricotta cheese with a teaspoon of cocoa powder and a quarter cup of fresh or frozen raspberries. "This snack offers just enough sweetness to calm a sugar craving," she says, "and it's packed with filling protein."
Try these 13 other easy strategies to keep off the weight.
More on MSN Health & Fitness
Provided by Women's Health
My favorite indulgent-tasting snack is a fat-free yogurt from a popular mass-merchandise store; only 90 calories, provides 20 percent of your daily calcium requirement, and tastes just like a rich pudding. If they're out of my favorite flavors, I buy fat-free Greek yogurt and mix in honey and berries or sprinkle a little semi-sweet cocoa powder on top.
For people whose day-to-day eating habits are reasonable, flexibility in the diet plan is fine; but some people's eating habits are so out of control that they need a plan they can rely upon and stick to so they don't go off track.
I ate ice cream for lunch everyday for 3 months one summer while all the girls I worked with staved them selves on salads. I lost 30 pounds while they lost half as much, I think you need to eat what you are hungry for, enough to satisfy your craving and know when to stop.
The " Clean Plate Club" many of were a part of as children ruined us for dieting as adults. I hate to see food go to waste only it does go to my waist. I feel you should not deprive your self of treats but measure them carefully and if you want a milkshake skip the burger. You don't need them both just because your parents said so.
Life is short, eat dessert first
I think this article is completely accurate. I used to follow all kinds of diet “rules” until I finally – in my 40’s – discovered how to keep lean and healthy by eating normal meals. I post everything I learned about weight control on my free website at http://www.FollowHolly.com. (At 48 years old, I have easily maintained my weight at 107 – 108 at 5'2" for more than 3 years now.) And I post bathing suit photos that are NOT retouched to illustrate the results of consistently implementing normal, healthy eating patterns. If I can help anyone out there, I’m happy to do so!
Alright, this is not an advertisement for a weight loss product, but it is a success story in the making. I am a 37 year old woman and have been fat my entire life. Up until october of last year I weighed in at 336 lbs. If anyone used the 'genetics' excuse, I constantly did. My entire family is fat and there is no reason why I would be an exception. Just like many others like me, I have tried every single fad diet in the world and do you know why? Because I was fat and lazy. Yes there is comments about people wanting things the 'easy way' .. well yeah.. how do you think we got this way? It's not hard to gain hundreds of pounds, it's hard to prevent that from happening when yer surrounded by people who are fat. Anyways, long story short, I started the old fashioned 'cardio 30 minutes 3 times a week, core circut training 3 times a week' approach paired with just watching my portions and to date I've lost 76 lbs. I still have a long way to go, and yes it's not happening over night, but it IS happening period. I do have sweets sometimes, and yes sometimes I do have that Burger King run, but it's rare now, and I plan accordingly if I know I'm gonna eat huge calories, I simply do extra cardio that day or skip a snack/meal after the huge calorie fest. It's not rocket science, and it's not 'counting every calorie that passes my lips'... it's simply using common sense. This is a good article, I agree with most everything mentioned on it as for 'slipping up' to be ok. As for the exercize, i know you fatties out there are saying 'OmG exercizing every day? no way, I don't even like getting out of the car to go in to eat at a restaurant' .. well .. I had a broken back (fixed with a spinal fusion) and bum shoulder (from breaking it the previous year), yeah it hurts and it's hard to get a routine down, but I did it and all my pain is gone. Don't let those aching joints keep you off that treadmill.. the pain will go away eventually and you will have more mobility just give it time and trust me on this. Good luck to all of you reading this, most likely it means you are trying to lose weight too. It's not easy, but it is doable, take it from me - another fatty trying to make it thin and almost halfway there finally!
Overall, a fairly informative article even though some of the suggestions fall under the "common sense" category. Arguably, a major reason why SOME are unable to lose weight is their unwillingness to engage in tried and tested methods that are certain to result in weight reduction; they merely wish the fat would simply melt away..effortlessly.
As the saying goes, "nothing ventured, nothing gained".
For more practical tips on how to lose those unwanted pounds, check out this resource...http://FastFatAndWeightLoss.com. Powerful!
advertisement
MSN Health & Fitness does not provide medical or any other health care advice, diagnosis or treatment.
