Health Focus

FIVE COMMON DIETING MISTAKES

EATING TOO MANY HEALTHY FOODS

Healthy eating is not the same as weight-loss eating. Losing weight is about being conscientious about caloric intake and portion size. Many people choose healthful foods, but eat too much of them. Pay attention to nutrition, but calories are key. Try a 7-day calorie conscious challenge. For one week weigh and measure your foods, logging what and how much you eat. Then using food packages or web sites, determine the number of calories you are eating. Within seven days, you’ll learn how many calories are in foods, even healthy ones, and what recommended portions look like. If this strategy becomes too laborious using frozen entrees is helpful and allows you to add extra veggies. This process helps to retrain the eye to what are considered real portions.

IF IT'S NOT A PLATE, IT DOESN'T COUNT

Assume every bite you take is worth 25 calories. You may do well during mealtime, but often we forget about the extra food along the way — the handful of nuts before dinner, the taste-testing of cookie dough, the food left on their kid’s plate. Four bites a day an extra 100 calories. In a month’s time, that’s nearly a pound of extra weight. To avoid the mindless munchies, use rules: “Promise yourself you’ll eat only at specific times; try chewing gum while making meals or cleaning up; or, have a bowl of veggies to graze on when the urge to nibble comes along.”

SKIPPING MEALS TO CUT CALORIES

Not a good idea. Skipping breakfast is most common but often those calories are made up later in the day by overeating. Eat breakfast every morning. It doesn’t have to be traditional breakfast foods, simply eating a few healthful foods that sound good to you works.

TAKING THE WEEKENDS OFF

Dieting is a 24/7 commitment. Plenty of dieters follow their diet precisely Monday through Friday, but believe their hard work earns them a weekend reprieve. Every day is as important as the other. Weight management isn’t about sacrifice and guilt so you need to be able to include your favorite foods in your eating plan.

LIQUID CALORIES GO IN AND OUT

Approximately 20 percent of the calories we consume in a day come from what we drink. Recent research suggests these calories do little to satisfy hunger. Just one sugary soda a day can pack on 15 pounds in a year, experts say. Liquid calories may simply add to the bottom line. Drink primarily low- and no-calorie beverages. When it comes to drinks that
contain calories, you must consider portion size and trade-offs—most people decide a 500-calorie cup of coffee isn’t worth it when they see the amount of food it replaces.

This message is for informational purposes only, is not medical advice and is not intended to be a substitute for proper medical care provided by a physician. Information is believed to be accurate as of the production date; however, it is subject to change.

Roemer Insurance gratefully acknowledges FamilyEducation.com for providing the content of this issue’s Health Focus.