Stop them—and swap them—so the scale starts sliding in the right direction.
You get tons of advice about how to live healthy: Eat that! Diet this way! Don't forget lots ofcardio! Pretty soon, you've got a bunch of health habits under your belt that don't do you any good—and may even make you gain weight (when, clearly, you were going for the opposite). We've rounded up 13 of these sneaky saboteurs that you should give the boot to now. Pinky-promise you'll be healthier and happier tomorrow.
You get tons of advice about how to live healthy: Eat that! Diet this way! Don't forget lots ofcardio! Pretty soon, you've got a bunch of health habits under your belt that don't do you any good—and may even make you gain weight (when, clearly, you were going for the opposite). We've rounded up 13 of these sneaky saboteurs that you should give the boot to now. Pinky-promise you'll be healthier and happier tomorrow.
1You're Cutting Carbs
Giving brown rice and quinoa the stink eye? "It's okay to eat carbs!" says New York City registered dietitian Jessica Cording. If a client tells her they're trying to go low-carb, she digs into why. If it's because of a family history of diabetes, that's one thing, but if it's simply to lose weight, then it's time to remember the healthy—and slimming—role carbs play. For one, research shows that dieters who ate mostly whole grains shed more body fat than those who continued eating refined grains (think white bread and muffins). Not to mention that cutting them out completely can leave you with slogging energy levels. But if you're just not feeling the six servings of grains recommended by the USDA, Cording says it's okay—you don't have to stock up on bread to hit it. "Everyone's needs are different, and you can get carbs from other healthy sources like peas and potatoes," she says. So try small servings spaced evenly throughout the day, like a half-cup of beans with lunch and half a sweet potato at dinner.
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Giving brown rice and quinoa the stink eye? "It's okay to eat carbs!" says New York City registered dietitian Jessica Cording. If a client tells her they're trying to go low-carb, she digs into why. If it's because of a family history of diabetes, that's one thing, but if it's simply to lose weight, then it's time to remember the healthy—and slimming—role carbs play. For one, research shows that dieters who ate mostly whole grains shed more body fat than those who continued eating refined grains (think white bread and muffins). Not to mention that cutting them out completely can leave you with slogging energy levels. But if you're just not feeling the six servings of grains recommended by the USDA, Cording says it's okay—you don't have to stock up on bread to hit it. "Everyone's needs are different, and you can get carbs from other healthy sources like peas and potatoes," she says. So try small servings spaced evenly throughout the day, like a half-cup of beans with lunch and half a sweet potato at dinner.
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2You Keep Jumping on the Dreadmill
If you actually call it that, instead of thetreadmill, then there's a problem. Yes, it's great to try new of-the-moment workouts, but it's equally okay to drop what you're not loving and move onto what you do, says Gabrielle (Gabby) Reece, former pro volleyball player and health and fitness expert on The Balance Project. Not to mention you're more likely to stick to it if you, you know, want to do it again. "Find workouts that you enjoy even the most difficult parts of," she suggests. So if that means you can take the fiery burn of your butt on the stair machine but hate getting sweaty in hot yoga, do the stairs. Because at the end of the day, who really cares if it's trendy?
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If you actually call it that, instead of thetreadmill, then there's a problem. Yes, it's great to try new of-the-moment workouts, but it's equally okay to drop what you're not loving and move onto what you do, says Gabrielle (Gabby) Reece, former pro volleyball player and health and fitness expert on The Balance Project. Not to mention you're more likely to stick to it if you, you know, want to do it again. "Find workouts that you enjoy even the most difficult parts of," she suggests. So if that means you can take the fiery burn of your butt on the stair machine but hate getting sweaty in hot yoga, do the stairs. Because at the end of the day, who really cares if it's trendy?
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3You're Trying to Be Too Healthy
Yep, you heard that right. "Women put so much pressure on themselves to eat perfect. But there's no such thing as perfect," says Cording. If you go down a shame spiral because you've eaten good or bad today, it gives food more power over you than necessary. "Your food choices are just choices. There are those that benefit you and those that don't do you so many favors," she says. If you start to fall down the shame rabbit hole, tell yourself that you'll make a healthy choice at your next meal or snack and give yourself permission to move on, even if that means verbally saying it out loud, Cording advises. Or, try filing that guilty feeling away (there's nothing wrong with admitting you felt it). Then, next time you're faced with a plate of brownies from a well-meaning colleague at work, you can remind yourself of how you'll feel after eating it—and then decide if it's worth it in that moment.
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Yep, you heard that right. "Women put so much pressure on themselves to eat perfect. But there's no such thing as perfect," says Cording. If you go down a shame spiral because you've eaten good or bad today, it gives food more power over you than necessary. "Your food choices are just choices. There are those that benefit you and those that don't do you so many favors," she says. If you start to fall down the shame rabbit hole, tell yourself that you'll make a healthy choice at your next meal or snack and give yourself permission to move on, even if that means verbally saying it out loud, Cording advises. Or, try filing that guilty feeling away (there's nothing wrong with admitting you felt it). Then, next time you're faced with a plate of brownies from a well-meaning colleague at work, you can remind yourself of how you'll feel after eating it—and then decide if it's worth it in that moment.
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4You're Giving Up Dairy
So-and-so celeb swears it's her dairy-free diet that's made her gorgeous. So even though your go-to hunger-quashing snack is Greek yogurt, you ditch it anyway. Stop that. "Getting adequate calcium and high quality protein from your diet—in the form of dairy—is an important aspect of preventing osteoporosis and low bone mass," says Melina Jampolis, M.D., author of The Doctor on Demand Diet. And, she points out emerging researchshows the probiotics in yogurt may help fight obesity. If you like dairy (and aren't lactose intolerant), go on and grab a spoon.
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So-and-so celeb swears it's her dairy-free diet that's made her gorgeous. So even though your go-to hunger-quashing snack is Greek yogurt, you ditch it anyway. Stop that. "Getting adequate calcium and high quality protein from your diet—in the form of dairy—is an important aspect of preventing osteoporosis and low bone mass," says Melina Jampolis, M.D., author of The Doctor on Demand Diet. And, she points out emerging researchshows the probiotics in yogurt may help fight obesity. If you like dairy (and aren't lactose intolerant), go on and grab a spoon.
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5You're Eating Little Meals Throughout the Day
Basically, your office title should be "snack monster," and while you've heard that eating often is the key toweight loss, you may not realize that eating too often leads to food amnesia (meaning you have no clue how much you've scarfed down). Research showsour snacking habits have ballooned to 25 percent of our daily calories, andnearly 50 percent of us dig in to these "little" snacks in lieu of meals. "I have clients who will graze all day long at work but won't sit down and have a full meal until dinner," says Cording. That can make it really hard to be in touch with how much you're eating and how hungry you really are. Now, that doesn't mean everyone needs to eat three square meals a day, she says, but you should try to make time to enjoy your meals sans distraction, big or small.
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Basically, your office title should be "snack monster," and while you've heard that eating often is the key toweight loss, you may not realize that eating too often leads to food amnesia (meaning you have no clue how much you've scarfed down). Research showsour snacking habits have ballooned to 25 percent of our daily calories, andnearly 50 percent of us dig in to these "little" snacks in lieu of meals. "I have clients who will graze all day long at work but won't sit down and have a full meal until dinner," says Cording. That can make it really hard to be in touch with how much you're eating and how hungry you really are. Now, that doesn't mean everyone needs to eat three square meals a day, she says, but you should try to make time to enjoy your meals sans distraction, big or small.
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6You Only Weigh Yourself Occasionally—Or Not At All
We've been told time and time again to step on the scale intermittently when trying to lose weight, as numbers alone doesn't give us a full-picture view of our success. But avoiding it like the plague is a bad move, as one study shows that people who weighed themselves at least once a week lost more weight than those who did so infrequently. Knowing your numbers keeps you on track and holds you accountable, but balance is key here. There's no need to weigh in daily, as you're likely to see fluctuation—Cording says it's normal for your weight to fluctuate a few pounds on any given day, depending on how much water weight your retaining. "Designate one morning per week to help you track trends over time without nitpicking on a daily basis," she suggests.
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We've been told time and time again to step on the scale intermittently when trying to lose weight, as numbers alone doesn't give us a full-picture view of our success. But avoiding it like the plague is a bad move, as one study shows that people who weighed themselves at least once a week lost more weight than those who did so infrequently. Knowing your numbers keeps you on track and holds you accountable, but balance is key here. There's no need to weigh in daily, as you're likely to see fluctuation—Cording says it's normal for your weight to fluctuate a few pounds on any given day, depending on how much water weight your retaining. "Designate one morning per week to help you track trends over time without nitpicking on a daily basis," she suggests.
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7You're Too Focused On Sugar
If you're gaining some weight in your belly, it's likely because your insulin receptors are getting weaker, making you intolerant to glucose-rich foods (think cake or bread), says Tiffany Wright, Ph.D., founder of Skinny Coach Solution. "Everyone knows to watch out for sugar because it's been demonized, but what they don't realize is that flour breaks down into sugar in your bloodstream even faster," she says. That goes for the "healthy" flours like brown rice flour, too. Stick to whole forms of these foods, like regular brown rice, to reap the benefits without such a high risk.
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If you're gaining some weight in your belly, it's likely because your insulin receptors are getting weaker, making you intolerant to glucose-rich foods (think cake or bread), says Tiffany Wright, Ph.D., founder of Skinny Coach Solution. "Everyone knows to watch out for sugar because it's been demonized, but what they don't realize is that flour breaks down into sugar in your bloodstream even faster," she says. That goes for the "healthy" flours like brown rice flour, too. Stick to whole forms of these foods, like regular brown rice, to reap the benefits without such a high risk.
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8Gym Sessions Are A Little Too Comfortable
Reading a magazine on the elliptical or catching Bravo reruns on the treadmill may make your time at the gym more fun, but you don't get as much out of it. "You're already committing the time, but not really benefitting from what you're doing because you're not giving it your full effort," says Reece. So once you're there, give yourself a pat on the back for showing up, then focus on what you're doing to net better results.
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Reading a magazine on the elliptical or catching Bravo reruns on the treadmill may make your time at the gym more fun, but you don't get as much out of it. "You're already committing the time, but not really benefitting from what you're doing because you're not giving it your full effort," says Reece. So once you're there, give yourself a pat on the back for showing up, then focus on what you're doing to net better results.
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9You Believe "Everything in Moderation"
It's a good idea to live by the moderation rule (I'll have half of this brownie or split a side of pasta), but if you use it as a regular excuse, you could be setting yourself up for weight gain. Think about it: A piece of cake Monday, an order of fries on Tuesday, a scoop of ice cream on Wednesday…so on and so forth. "If you are eating treats all the time, you are not moderating," says Wright. Enjoy them sometimes, yes, but other times swap in satisfying and yummy replacements for those favorite foods—that way it's still delish, healthy, and won't cause you to feel out of control when you eat it, says Wright. If brownies are your fave, she suggests reaching for a bar of high cocoa dark chocolate. Love digging into ice cream? Try a frozen, full-fat Greek yogurt blended with fruit.
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It's a good idea to live by the moderation rule (I'll have half of this brownie or split a side of pasta), but if you use it as a regular excuse, you could be setting yourself up for weight gain. Think about it: A piece of cake Monday, an order of fries on Tuesday, a scoop of ice cream on Wednesday…so on and so forth. "If you are eating treats all the time, you are not moderating," says Wright. Enjoy them sometimes, yes, but other times swap in satisfying and yummy replacements for those favorite foods—that way it's still delish, healthy, and won't cause you to feel out of control when you eat it, says Wright. If brownies are your fave, she suggests reaching for a bar of high cocoa dark chocolate. Love digging into ice cream? Try a frozen, full-fat Greek yogurt blended with fruit.
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10You're Eating Whole Grain Toast and Fruit for Breakfast
What sounds like a healthy choice is actually too high in carbs and too low in protein, says Dr. Jampolis. "Research shows eating a higher protein breakfast can help improve blood sugar control throughout the day, which can help control hunger and maintain energy," she explains. Aim for 14 to 20 grams of protein if you're trying to lose weight—especially belly fat. That's two hardboiled eggs, a 6-oz container of Greek yogurt, or a 3/4-cup of cottage cheese.
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What sounds like a healthy choice is actually too high in carbs and too low in protein, says Dr. Jampolis. "Research shows eating a higher protein breakfast can help improve blood sugar control throughout the day, which can help control hunger and maintain energy," she explains. Aim for 14 to 20 grams of protein if you're trying to lose weight—especially belly fat. That's two hardboiled eggs, a 6-oz container of Greek yogurt, or a 3/4-cup of cottage cheese.
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11You're A Cardio Queen
Cardio burns calories, no doubt. But it's not the only way. To really turn your body into a fat-melting, metabolism-boosted machine, add strength training. "It's especially important once you turn 40 when you start losing muscle," says Wright. Not to mentionone study found that while aerobic training can help you lose body fat, you need resistance training if you're going to build calorie-torching muscle. Ideally, fit your favorite form of weight training in twice per week.
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Cardio burns calories, no doubt. But it's not the only way. To really turn your body into a fat-melting, metabolism-boosted machine, add strength training. "It's especially important once you turn 40 when you start losing muscle," says Wright. Not to mentionone study found that while aerobic training can help you lose body fat, you need resistance training if you're going to build calorie-torching muscle. Ideally, fit your favorite form of weight training in twice per week.
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12You're Sipping A Sweetened Coffee Drink Daily
It's easy to suck these down and not think about the sugar, calories, and fat hiding inside (especially when they're inpretty PSL cups). But even if they're made "skinny" they can be problematic, since the sugar-free syrup can drive cravings for sweet foods, says Cording. If it's something you love, indulging once or twice a month is totally fine. Otherwise, make a small cappuccino your go-to order. Adding sweetener yourself—say, a half-pack—will save you a ton of sugar.
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It's easy to suck these down and not think about the sugar, calories, and fat hiding inside (especially when they're inpretty PSL cups). But even if they're made "skinny" they can be problematic, since the sugar-free syrup can drive cravings for sweet foods, says Cording. If it's something you love, indulging once or twice a month is totally fine. Otherwise, make a small cappuccino your go-to order. Adding sweetener yourself—say, a half-pack—will save you a ton of sugar.
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13You Diet for Big Events
Your cousin is getting married, or you've got that high school reunion on the calendar. So what's the harm if acrash diet is temporary? Um, a lot. Severely restricting calories for more than one or two days can mess with your lean body tissue. "Muscle mass drops up to three percent per decade in women starting at age 30; this type of dieting can accelerate that loss," says Dr. Jampolis. "Since muscle is harder to rebuild with each passing year, you may not be able to fully recover from crash diets as you get older." Keeping your muscle mass is not only key for metabolism, but also for protecting you from falls. "That may not seem that important now, but it will be in the future," she says.
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Your cousin is getting married, or you've got that high school reunion on the calendar. So what's the harm if acrash diet is temporary? Um, a lot. Severely restricting calories for more than one or two days can mess with your lean body tissue. "Muscle mass drops up to three percent per decade in women starting at age 30; this type of dieting can accelerate that loss," says Dr. Jampolis. "Since muscle is harder to rebuild with each passing year, you may not be able to fully recover from crash diets as you get older." Keeping your muscle mass is not only key for metabolism, but also for protecting you from falls. "That may not seem that important now, but it will be in the future," she says.
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Resource: redbookmag.com
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