Diet Blunders: Not So Obvious

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by Litsa @How to Have it All on January 9, 2015

eating well picture

Eating Well’s social photo wall alone reminds us that eating fresh is important to maintain a healthy weight—it begins and ends with what we choose to eat for every meal. Additionally, we know that watching our waistline means control with portion sizes, cutting back on calories, eating more fruits and vegetables but it may also have to deal with the not so obvious mistakes we may make that parallel with our food choices. A few that Eating Well highlighted in their March/April 2014 issue were:

  1. Eating out once a week. Restaurant meals deliver more calories than homemade ones—-and just steering to your favorite tavern just once a week may pack on the calories. When dining out watch for additives in everything: sauces, salad dressings, crackers, etc. Drinks pack on calories too. Go out to eat with a plan (even if it is once a week)!
  2. Chewing gum before meals. Gum can quell hunger but research suggests that people who chewed minty gum before meals and snacks for a week ate less healthy food compared to weeks with no gum chewing. The culprit: the flavor of the minty gum made healthy food less tasty to eat. Just research!?! Why risk it. Chew after your meals.
  3. Choosing fun-sized treats. Crucial to losing weight and/or maintaining weight–portions. But when we eat a small granola bar, a small fun-sized Snickers, etc. are we being fair to our waistlines or ourselves!?! Eating straight from a bag or box can also cause you to overeat! Pull out what you are eating and watch how much. Remember to journal or list what you eat for the best results in your diet. WE all forget what we ate—there’s room for more thoughts of what we WANT to eat. Write it down so you don’t cheat yourself.
  4. Feeling guilty for indulging. Treats are just that–TREATS. You are allowed to EAT what you enjoy. I thoroughly enjoy vegan dishes and many clean food choices daily but when I crave and want gingersnap cookies, I eat them. Portion control–no guilt necessary.
  5. Selecting foods labeled low-fat. This may sound healthier but it is a red flag on many processed foods. It may make you eat more and/or trick you into eating an ingredient you didn’t want in your diet. Read the labels. Keep in mind too that fresh fruits and vegetables fit the bill–if you have to constantly select and worry over labels, switch to the real flavorful fruits and veggies that will delight your palette season after season.

If a new year has once again enticed you to shave off a few old habits, don’t miss our recipe index to help you cook more at home! Don’t be afraid of trying something new this year! You might surprise yourself—and find that your family loves it too!

Happy 2015 once again—here’s to Eating Well for optimal health!

Photo Credit Eating Well, HERE and Eating Well magazine for a refreshing list of not so obvious mistakes

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Litsa @How to Have it All

Litsa is a stay at home mom to a beautiful little girl. She is a native of Greece and now resides in Tennessee. As a former teacher, Litsa wears many hats that it takes to make a home a functioning home!

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