20. #1: Eating "low-fat":
It sounds crazy, but stop buying foods marketed as low-fat
or fat-free. Typically, they save you only a few calories and, in doing
so, they replace harmless fats with low-performing carbohydrates that
digest quickly—causing a sugar rush and, immediately afterward, rebound
hunger. Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham found
that meals that limited carbohydrates to 43 percent were more filling
and had a milder effect on blood sugar than meals with 55 percent
carbohydrates. That means you’ll store less body fat and be less likely
to eat more later.
19. #2: Not seeking nutrition advice:
Good news here: By reading this, you’re already forming
habits that can help you shed pounds. When Canadian researchers sent
diet and exercise advice to more than 1,000 people, they found that the
recipients began eating smarter and working more physical activity into
their daily routines. Not surprisingly, the habits of the non-recipients
didn’t budge. Don't lose your momentum:
18. #3: Sleeping too little or too much:
According to Wake Forest researchers, dieters who sleep
five hours or less put on 2½ times more belly fat, while those who
sleep more than eight hours pack on only slightly less than that. Shoot
for an average of six to seven hours of sleep per night—the optimal
amount for weight control.
17. #4: Eating free restaurant foods:
Breadsticks, biscuits, and chips and salsa may be
complimentary at some restaurants, but that doesn’t mean you won’t pay
for them. Every time you eat one of Olive Garden's free breadsticks or
Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits, you're adding an additional 150
calories to your meal. Eat three over the course of dinner and that's
450 calories. That's also roughly the number of calories you can expect
for every basket of tortilla chips you get at your local Mexican
restaurant. What's worse, none of these calories comes paired with any
redeeming nutritional value. Consider them junk food on steroids.
16. #5: Drinking soda—even diet!:
The average American guzzles nearly a full gallon of soda
every week. Why is that so bad? Because a 2005 study found that
drinking one to two sodas per day increases your chances of being
overweight or obese by nearly 33 percent. And diet soda is no better.
When researchers in San Antonio tracked a group of elderly subjects for
nearly a decade, they found that compared to nondrinkers, those who
drank two or more diet sodas a day watched their waistlines increase
five times faster. The researchers theorize that the artificial
sweeteners trigger appetite cues, causing you to unconsciously eat more
at subsequent meals.
15. #6: Skipping meals:
In a 2011 national survey from the Calorie Control Council,
17 percent of Americans admitted to skipping meals to lose weight. The
problem is, skipping meals actually increases your odds of obesity,
especially when it comes to breakfast. A study from the
American Journal of Epidemiology
found that people who cut out the morning meal were 4.5 times more
likely to be obese. Why? Skipping meals slows your metabolism and boosts
your hunger. That puts your body in prime fat-storage mode and
increases your odds of overeating at the next meal.
14. #7: Eating too quickly:
If your body has one major flaw, this is it: It takes 20
minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it’s had enough. A
study in the
Journal of the American Dietetic Association
found that slow eaters took in 66 fewer calories per meal, but compared
to their fast-eating peers, they felt like they had eaten more. What’s
66 calories, you ask? If you can do that at every meal, you’ll lose
more than 20 pounds a year!
13. #8: Watching too much TV:
A University of Vermont study found that overweight
participants who reduced their TV time by just 50 percent burned an
additional 119 calories a day on average. That’s an automatic 12-pound
annual loss! Maximize those results by multitasking while you
watch—even light household tasks will further bump up your caloric
burn. Plus, if your hands are occupied with dishes or laundry, you’ll
be less likely to mindlessly snack—the other main occupational hazard
associated with tube time.
12. #9: Ordering the combo meal:
A study in the
Journal of Public Policy & Marketing
shows that compared to ordering a la carte, you pick up a hundred or
more extra calories by opting for the “combo” or “value meal." Why?
Because when you order items bundled together, you're likely to buy more
food than you want. You're better off ordering your food piecemeal.
That way you won't be influenced by pricing schemes designed to hustle a
few more cents out of your pocket.
11. #10: Facing the buffet:
Cornell researchers found that when eating at a
buffet-style restaurant, obese diners were 15 percent more likely to
choose seats with a clear view of the food. Your move: Choose a seat
that places your back toward the spread. It will help you avoid
fixating on the food.
10. #11: Eating off larger plates:
One study found that when given an option, a whopping 98.6
percent of obese individuals opt for larger plates. Translation: More
food, more calories, and more body fat. Keep your portions in check by
choosing smaller serving dishes. If need be, you can always go back for
seconds.
9. #12: Putting serving dishes on the table:
Resist setting out foods buffet- or family-style, and opt instead to serve them from the kitchen. A study in the journal
Obesity
found that when food is served from the dinner table, people consume
35 percent more over the course of the meal. When an additional helping
requires leaving the table, people hesitate to go back for more.
8. #13: Choosing white bread:
A study from the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found
that when obese subjects incorporated whole grains into their diets,
they lost more abdominal fat over the course of 12 weeks. There are
likely multiple factors at play, but the most notable is this: Whole
grain foods pack in more fiber and an overall stronger nutritional
package than their refined-grain counterparts.
7. #14: Taking big bites:
The
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found
that people who took large bites of food consumed 52 percent more
calories in one sitting than those who took small bites and chewed
longer. By cutting food into smaller pieces, you can increase satiety
and enjoy your food more thoroughly. A good general rule? The smaller
your bites, the thinner your waistline.
6. #15: Not drinking enough water:
Adequate water intake is essential for all your body’s
functions, and the more you drink, the better your chances of staying
thin. In one University of Utah study, dieting participants who were
instructed to drink two cups of water before each meal lost 30 percent
more weight than their thirsty peers. And you can magnify the effect by
adding ice. German researchers found that six cups of cold water a day
could prompt a metabolic boost that incinerates 50 daily calories.
That’s enough to shed five pounds a year!
5. #16: Having overweight friends:
Research from the
New England Journal of Medicine
indicates that when a friend becomes obese, it ups your chance of
obesity by 57 percent. This probably has to do with the social norms
that you’re exposed to. Rather than ditch a friend who starts to put on
a few extra pounds though, suggest healthy activities that you can do
together, and avoid letting him or her dictate the meal (“Let’s split
the cheesecake!”).
4. #17: Eating too late :
Your body can burn flab while you sleep, but only if it isn't too busy processing a full stomach. A new study in the journal
Obesity
looked at the sleeping and eating habits of 52 people over seven days,
and it found that those who ate after 8 p.m. took in the most daily
calories and had the highest BMIs.
3. #18: Not using a scale:
Looking at your body weight reinforces weight-loss goals
and makes it difficult to cheat your diet. When University of Minnesota
researchers observed dieters who weighed themselves daily, they
discovered that the routine of stepping on a scale helped those people
lose twice as much weight as those who weighed themselves less
frequently. Avoid being thrown off by natural fluctuations in body
weight by stepping onto the scale at the same time every day.
2. #19: Drinking fruity beverages:
Most restaurants and bars have ditched their fresh-fruit
recipes in favor of viscous syrups made mostly from high fructose corn
syrup and thickening agents. As a general rule, the more garnishes a
drink has hanging from its rim, the worse it is for your waistline.
1. #20: Eating when emotional:
A study from the University of Alabama found that
emotional eaters—those who admitted eating in response to emotional
stress—were 13 times more likely to be overweight or obese. If you feel
the urge to eat in response to stress, try chewing a piece of gum,
chugging a glass of water, or taking a walk around the block. Create an
automatic response that doesn't involve food and you'll prevent
yourself from overloading on calories.
eatthis.menshealth
