top10diettraps

Top 10 diet traps. (dieting mistakes)(includes related weight-loss IQ exam)
Author/s: Daryn Eller
Issue: Sept, 1998

The secret to successful slimming? Troubleshooting the classic mistakes

eat less and exercise--the words practically roll off the tongue--but like a lot of things in life, the basic rules for weight loss are a lot easier said than followed. For one thing, they don't hint at the number of pitfalls even diligent dieters can stumble over. Here, nutrition experts reveal the ten most common problems dieters face, and tell you how to avoid them.

TRAP #1 Telling yourself you'll work it off hater. True, exercise is an invaluable weight-loss tool. But that doesn't mean that you can overeat today, then work it off tomorrow. Just do the math: That bagel you're eyeing has about 250 calories; that brisk 30-minute walk through the park you're planning as penance will burn only 110 to 150 of them.

The fact is, "To lose weight, you need to watch what you eat and exercise," says John Foreyt, Ph.D., director of the Nutrition Research Clinic at Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston. But exercise alone may help keep weight off. Foreyt has found that people who exercise regularly after losing weight are more successful over the long term.

TRAP #2 Misreading labels. Yes, the cookies' carton proclaims them to be fat- and cholesterol-free. But you won't know whether they're a good diet choice unless you read the fine print. Some fat-free cookies, for instance, while heart-smart, are not much lower in calories than regular cookies. Also pay attention to serving sizes, which may not be realistic. The cereal is only 110 calories per half-cup? Great--but who eats that little?

TRAP #3 Not weighing in. Conventional wisdom has it that dieters should stay off the scale to avoid becoming discouraged. But research shows that weighing yourself with reasonable frequency can be helpful, particularly when it comes to maintaining weight loss. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh looked at the success strategies of 784 men and women who on average maintained a large weight loss for over five years, and stepping on the scale at least once a week was high on the list. "It might have helped them monitor even small deviations in their weight so they could then take quick corrective action," says Rena Wing, Ph.D., director of the University's Obesity/Nutrition Research Center and co-author of the study.

TRAP #4 Blaming it all on your genes. "It's a misconception that people who are genetically inclined to be heavy can't ever succeed at losing weight," says Wing. In the aforementioned study, over 70 percent of the successful dieters had at least one overweight parent. Granted, you may never have Kate Moss's waistline. But you can achieve a healthy weight that is realistic for your body type. If you don't know what that is, consult a nutritionist.

TRAP #5 Having exorbitant expectations. While we're on the subject of what's realistic, Foreyt says a major mistake dieters make is expecting pounds to fly off. Certainly, in the beginning of a diet, you might drop four or five pounds in just a few days--water weight is shed quickly when calories are cut. But real weight loss is slower--more like a half to one pound a week--and expecting faster results is a recipe for failure. Instead, accept your body's limitations and congratulate yourself for any weight you do lose.
TRAP #6 Going wild on the weekends. There's not much harm in having a piece of chocolate cake on Saturday night, especially if you've followed your diet all week. But if one slice of cake snowballs into a binge, you may ring up enough calories to void all your good weekday work. Sure, treat yourself a little on the weekends, but don't veer from your main mission: to eat moderately and healthfully.

TRAP #7 Eating the same foods all the time. Variety is not only the spice of life, it may help you slim down. "When food gets too monotonous," points out Alan Wayler, Ph.D., director of Green Mountain at Fox Run, a weight and lifestyle management center for women in Ludlow, Vermont, "dieters will say, `To hell with it,' and stop trying to eat well at all."

A better bet: Incorporate a variety foods into your diet, even if some of them are high in calories. Remember, anything can fit into a weight-loss plan as long as you eat it in moderation and balance it with healthier choices.

TRAP #8 Denying your need for comfort food. For most of us, food is a source of comfort as well as of sustenance. The problem is when we need food to soothe us, we reach for something high-fat, because we weren't prepared.

"A better strategy is to plan for those times when you need comfort roods by thinking about what might satisfy you--nonfat frozen yogurt, sugar wafers--without derailing your diet," suggests Yolanda Bergman, a Los Angeles-based nutritionist.

TRAP #9 Exercising but not moving. Scheduling some regular workouts into your weight-loss regimen is commendable. But formal exercise will take you only so far if the rest of the time you act like a slouch. "Increasing your daily activity--taking the stairs rather than the elevator or parking at the far end of the lot--can make a remarkable difference in your ability to lose weight and keep it off," says Wayler. Sometimes you have to make your own opportunities to get moving. Rather than plopping in front of the TV, play with the kids at the park. Or wash the car yourself instead of taking it through the car wash.

TRAP #10 Unconsciously compensating for fat. Cutting fat from your diet is a surefire way to reduce your overall calorie count--if you don't wind up compensating for those saved calories later on. Many people do, according to a study conducted at Pennsylvania State University, in University Park. Researcher Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., found that women who ate reduced-fat yogurt for lunch consumed more calories later in the day than women who ate regular yogurt. By all means, go for the low-fat choices, but be careful about subconsciously making up for it later.