Avoid Diet Pitfalls
by Edel Jarboe
1. Limit Liquid Calories
They may taste delicious but juices, smoothies, regular sodas, and iced coffee drinks all have a lot of extra sugar and calories. Calorie counts for these treats can range from 130 calories per 8oz of juice to 400 calories for a 16-ounce fruit smoothie.
Caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea, and colas are diuretics, which means that they dehydrate you and rob your body of precious vitamins and minerals. Limit your caffeine intake and be sure to drink one cup of water for each cup of coffee or tea you drink. If, like most of us, you use caffeine as a pick-me-up, try stretching first thing in the morning instead of reaching for that cup of coffee. Or have a cup of decaf or herbal tea instead. At the office, engage in some brief physical activity such as taking a brisk walk around your floor or taking a flight of stairs instead of the elevator rather than taking your usual coffee break.
The bottom-line? Drink six to eight glasses of water daily, limit juice intake to one eight ounce glass a day, and treat smoothies, regular sodas, and iced coffee drinks as an occasional treat and not a daily habit.
2. Know Your Vegetables
Not all vegetables are created equal. Peas, butternut squash, corn, and potatoes, for example, play a dual role. While these vegetables contain important nutrients the American Dietetic Association also classifies them as starches or breads. If you find yourself reaching only for these starchy vegetables, you may need to round out your vegetable repertoire with non-starchy veggies. Try vitamin and antioxidant rich vegetables such as spinach and romaine lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, and red and green peppers. Do I have to mention that you should steer clear of fried vegetables such as zucchini sticks and onion rings? Get in the habit of choosing steamed or fresh vegetables and substituting baked potato wedges for French fries.
3. Limit Your Sugar Intake
The easiest way to limit your sugar intake is not to add any additional sugar to cereals or hot drinks. Learn to satisfy your craving for sugar with fruit instead. For example, add raisins to your oatmeal instead of another heaping teaspoon of brown sugar. Try your tea with lemon instead of sugar. If you have a sweet tooth and must have a candy bar or ice cream, eat only half of what you normally would and save the rest for later. Be sure to limit your intake of fat-free foods to the suggested serving size as well. Most of these products have had the amount of sugar increased to make up for the lack of fat so that the food will taste better. Sweeteners go by many names so check labels to see if the following are the first ingredients: sucrose, glucose, dextrose, maltose, sorbitol, fructose, molasses, barley malt, honey, brown sugar, and maple, corn, or fruit syrup. Try to choose products that have their sweeteners farther down on their list of ingredients.
4. Watch Out for Fat
There are so many reduced-fat products in the supermarket nowadays that there really is no excuse not to limit your fat intake. You can find mayonnaise, cheese, hot dogs, salad dressings, and even ice cream in lower fat versions. But have you ever stopped to think about how much additional fat you are adding to your meals by not draining the cooking oil you use to prepare your meals with? Not only should you make this a habit, but also you can take it one step further by rinsing your cooked pasta or meat with water to remove even more oil. As a general rule, opt for baked over fried when it comes to fish, chicken, or pork; use a non-stick cooking spray whenever possible; and substitute applesauce for vegetable oil in recipes.
5. Don't Starve Yourself
Don't skip breakfast. It really is the most important meal of the day. Give your body a head start on nutrition by making sure you have a carbohydrate (preferably high-fiber), a protein, and fruit for breakfast. By eating breakfast, you are less likely to reach for a junk food snack by mid-morning or to go overboard at lunch. Keeping your body fueled on a regular basis with healthy snacks and balanced meals also helps prevent bingeing. If you satisfy your body's nutritional needs first, you'll be pleased to find that you won't need to reach for that bag of cookies, candy, or chips.
Edel Jarboe is the founder of Self Help for Her.com, an online self-help magazine helping you create a better life. She also publishes a free weekly newsletter, which features advice on goal setting, stress management, coping with difficult people, and overcoming obstacles: Subscribe here and receive a FREE stress report.
