Diet Mistakes: 6 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight (Contd...)
Diet Mistake No. 4: Oversized Portions
We have gotten used to huge portions at restaurants so when we are at home, we serve up the same size and think it is normal.
Experts suggest a few tricks to help you trim your portions:
- Leave a few bites on your plate.
- Use smaller plates and bowls.
- Periodically check your portions with measuring cups.
Diet Mistake No. 5: Choosing Unhealthy Add-Ons
Not only have portions crept up in size, we also have a tendency to top off our "diet" salads and other favorite foods with high-fat toppings, like bacon, cheese, croutons, and creamy dressings.
And, at fast-food restaurants, "grilled chicken and salads are not always better than a burger," notes Lichten. "It all depends on the size and the toppings."
For example, the Burger King Tendergrill sandwich with honey mustard dressing has 450 calories while their Whopper Jr., with mustard instead of mayo, has only 290 calories. At McDonald’s, the Caesar salad with crispy chicken and creamy dressing totals 490 calories, while a Quarter Pounder weighs in at 410 calories.
Diet Mistake No. 6: Mindless Eating
"Eating amnesia" is the act of unknowingly putting hand to mouth, usually from a bag or box in front of the television, while reading a book. It can also happen at happy hour, or when you finish the last few bites on your child's plate.
Resist the temptation to clean yours or anyone else’s plate. Think about your waistline instead of the food waste.
Consider the calories in small portions of some of our favorite snacks, and see how quickly they can add up when portions are multiplied:
- 1 Twinkie: 150 calories
- 12 peanut M&Ms: 125 calories
- 1 ounce of French fries: 88 calories
- 1.5 donut holes: 100 calories
- 3 Hershey kisses: 75 calories
- 3 Oreo cookies:160 calories
- 15 tortilla chips: 142 calories
- 20 potato chips: 162 calories
- And how can you kick the mindless eating habit?
First, try to get out of the habit of always eating something while you are sitting and relaxing. Try a cup of tea, glass of water, or chew a piece of sugarless gum. If you want a snack, portion it out of the bag or container.
