Diet Mistakes You Might be Making

We all know people who are on a diet.  Usually some fad diet that they can�t stay on for a life time.  How often do we hear, �I am off my diet.�   �I am back on my diet.�   What are some diet mistakes that can sabotage your weight loss goals?  WebMD has a great article, 10 Diet Mistakes and How to Avoid Them.

1. Crash diets � Many of us want to lose weight but not slow and steady, we want to lose it now.  So crash diets sound appealing.  When you lose weight that fast you not only lose water and fat but also muscle tissue.   Eating under 1200 calories a day can slow your metabolism and slow your chances of losing weight.  Go off this crash diet and the weight comes back as you haven�t changed your lifestyle and eating habits. 
2.  Skipping Breakfast � seems like an easy way to cut back on calories.  I was doing a diet recall on a friend who said they never ate breakfast.  Yet, when they got to work they went to the snack machine and got a donut, a candy bar or other high calorie �snack�.  Skipping the most important meal of the day lead to hunger mid-morning and snacking on unhealthy, high calorie foods.  Or, the person overeats at lunch because they are starving and then they pack even more calories.  Choose a breakfast high in protein and high in fiber to fill you up and stave off the hunger pains.
3. Snacks � who doesn�t love snacks?  Many people eat normally at meals but then nibble all day on snacks.  If you are counting calories, the snacks count too.  Use Apps on your Smartphone like LoseIt! to track your meals and snacks.  Or choose healthy snacks like fruit, vegetables.   Or, find those 100 calorie snack packs.
4. Avoiding snacks � snacking can be a good thing as those who eat 3 smaller meals a day plus snacks have a better chance of controlling their hunger.  Focusing on protein-rich snacks can rev up your metabolism.  A handful of nuts are a good protein snack.
5. Low fat � cutting back on high fat foods is a good choice.  Limiting fried foods like cutting back on French fries, fried chips, fried chicken will cut back on calories.  But carefully choose low fat products as many are loaded with sugar.  I tried a low fat mayonnaise in and egg salad only to have the egg salad taste sweet like I had added sugar.  Looking at the label, they had taken out fat but added sugar and added calories.  Better to have a smaller portion of a regular fat food than all that added sugar.
6. Calories in your Beverages � cutting back on beverages high in added sugar is always a good idea.  In the South sugared iced tea is popular but loaded with calories.  Most restaurants offer unsweetened tea.  If you are trying to cut back, fill up the glass with mostly unsweetened and top off with some sweetened or just add one pack of sugar to your unsweetened tea.  Sugared soft drinks, many sports drinks are loaded with sugar and a good way to cut some calories.  Drink water instead.
7. Water � fill up on water.  Drink some water when you get up, before meals, any time you feel thirsty.  Dehydration slows you metabolism so keep hydrated.
8. Avoiding Dairy is Not a Good Idea � many fad diets cut back on dairy and thus cut back on the important nutrients dairy provides like calcium and vitamin D.  Not to mention the protein in dairy is a very high quality protein.  WebMD notes:  Some research suggests the body burns more fat when it gets enough calcium and produces more fat when it�s calcium-deprived.  So choose low-fat dairy, low fat yogurt, 1% or fat free milk, low fat cheeses.
9. Avoid the Drive-Through � Fast foods are loaded with calories.  Sure you could order the salad or other healthier choices but going to a fast food place just offers a lot of temptation for the milk shake, fries or other unhealthy options.  WebMD notes:  People who ate fast food more than twice a week gained 10 more pounds than those who had it less than once a week.    
10. Unrealistic Goals � Many people want to lose a lot of weight and lose it fast.  But the most successful are those who chose realistic goals like 1-2 pounds a week, focus on an eating pattern they can maintain for life and adding in exercise so they don�t have to cut back on food so much. 

Sources:  10 Diet Mistakes and How to Avoid Them,  Image Source: Stop Dieting

Small Changes for a Healthier Child

Last week we talked about small changes you could make for a healthier you.  I had gathered some ideas from Jo-Ann Heslin, a registered dietitian.   I have adapted some of her suggestions for small changes families with children can make to be healthier. What are some small changes you as a parent can make for a healthier child?    
  1.  Eat together � in today�s go, go lifestyle so many families no longer eat together.  At least a few times a week plan a family, sit-down meal together.  Cornell University recommends eating together as a family at least 3 times a week.  Family meals means a focus on the family, so turn off the TV, the cell phones and focus on the kids.  According to Cornell University, (Do Famiy Meals Really Make a Difference?), family meals have huge health benefits:

          a.       Children are 24% more likely to eat healthier

          b.      Children are 12% less likely to be overweight

          c.       Children do better academically

          d.      Children have more positive family interactions   

   2.   5 A Day� many children aren�t getting five servings of real fruits and vegetables a day.  Sunny D and boxes of sugared drinks like Capri Sun juice drinks aren�t 100% juice and don�t count towards the 5 a day.  At meals, especially lunch and dinner, aim for 2 fruits and vegetables.  Make snacks of fruits or vegetables easy by having a fruit bowl on the counter, cut up vegetables ready to eat with  some Ranch dressing.    

   3.   Model Good Eating � a child that sees his mom or dad drinking milk with meals is more likely to drink milk with meals.  Kids like to copy you so are you modeling good eating habits?         

    4.  Breakfast every day � so many parents seem to forget kids need breakfast every day.  Not a Pop-Tart, Sunny D breakfast, but one of real food.  There are so many whole grain cereals to choose from, whole grain toast with peanut butter, milk, juice.  Breakfast also has many health benefits:

         a.       Better academic performance in school

         b.      More energy to start the day off right

         c.       Improved concentration

         d.      More strength and endurance

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has great ideas on Easy Breakfasts for Kids to Make:   

• Cheese slices on whole wheat toast, 100% juice
• Whole grain Cereals, milk, banana slices
• Peanut butter on whole grain toast, waffle, or rolled inside a wheat tortilla, tangerine
• Fruit � bananas, strawberries, raisins � instant oatmeal and milk
• Cold pizza 
• Apple and cheese slices on graham crackers or whole wheat crackers
• Yogurt, fruit    

 5.  Sit Less, Move More �  In the book, The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood, Dr. Sears has an excellent recommendation:  �Time Sitting = Time Moving� .  He suggests kids earn their TV, video, screen time.  30 minutes of exercise earns 30 minutes of screen time.   Many studies have found that many Americans don�t necessarily eat too much but they move too little. 

So, what small changes can you make in your family to eat healthier?  Small changes can add up to a healthier you and healthier kids.

Sources:  Live Better , Do Famiy Meals Really Make a Difference?   Image Source:  Family Meals

Incredible Weight Loss Guide

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? And you have no result!!! It is really hard to become a slim person nowadays. Lots of diets are fully recommended by lots of people. But, are they working? How can be sure and choose one of them to begin with...

I think this is impossible. Let's take a very fast look at one of the most appropriate diet that is available online:

• Breakfast- fruit and orange juice;
  
• Lunch- a salad or a yoghurt/yogurt
  
• Dinner- a chicken (without fats) or rice.

This must be the perfect diet... Is it right? I think it's not. How is this diet going to help you? Is it going to "give" you the perfect body you always have wanted.

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What is the best diet for you for weight loss?

OK. If you want to be slim, you need to change anything in your life, isn't this right? But what to change, it is really difficult to understand this one. There are some ways to lose weight, but most of them are not healthy. So most of them are not going to help you.
OK, let's look more carefully at one diet. Oh!!! I forgot something!!! Never count the calories you have eaten!!!



Because there is no reason. If you think the food can make you look fat, then you need to change the menu. For example, my favourite one, when I am on a diet:

Breakfast- Eggs is one of the best choice, of course if you like them. Or a low-fat cheese is also a good choice.
Lunch- A fruit, for example apple, banana and a juice of orange. Lettuce and onions are also one very good addition. Another good thing to eat is yogurt.
Dinner- Salad (tomato, celery, lettuce and cucumbers) for example with tea or diet soda. Although my favourite one is a chicken with all FAT removed.

According to the research from National Health Company, the top fruit that is used from people to lose weight is apple, followed by Avocadoes and Grapefruits. I can't agree with the 4th top food- Hot peppers because some people don't like them... and number 5 is Broccoli. But I prefer apples.

Small difference between healthy and unhealthy diets: Diet Pictures

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