By Lucy Danziger, SELF Editor-in-Chief - Posted on Sun, Jun 21, 2009, 12:15 pm PDT
Can you hear it? The sound of people giving diet advice is everywhere: Your mom, your coworkers, the TV news, even the cashiers at the cafeteria in my office building. To be fair, I'm game to dispense my own healthy eating wisdom when asked, even if it means subtly (or not so subtly) telling someone that the bag of chips they have in hand isn't necessarily helping his bottom line. But I've also noticed that the "shoulds" and "should-nots" so many people dole out can be factually incorrect.
See if you've heard any of the following common eating tips that can actually backfire and cause weight gain. Ignore them and watch stubborn pounds fall off:
BAD ADVICE: Eat a variety of foods!
WHY YOU SHOULD SKIP IT: Ask any buffet buff: We're hardwired to eat more when faced with countless different choices. This trait gives us an advantage when a spread consists of low-cal, filling fare such as veggies and lean protein. But unless you whiz by the baked goods section and restrict yourself to the produce displays, your kitchen is most likely stocked with a variety of healthy and not-so-healthy edibles.
HOW TO SMARTEN UP: Keeping special treats in the house is fine, but try to limit your stash to one or two of your favorites. The lion's share should be for a range of nutritious foods. Get inspired to prepare all those veggies, fruit and whole grains with one of thousands of recipes at Self.com.
BAD ADVICE: Always skip seconds!
WHY YOU SHOULD SKIP IT: When you know you can have only one plateful, chances are you will pile it sky-high. Hey, it's human nature -- get your fill while you can. The problem, of course, is that you will probably down every last morsel. On the other hand, knowing you can go back for another helping (if need be) encourages you to put less on your plate the first time around and allows your body to register fullness before the second helping.
HOW TO SMARTEN UP: Begin retraining yourself to start off with at least 20 percent less than you're used to eating. Then after 20 minutes -- the time it takes for us to start to feel full -- gauge your hunger. Still have an appetite? Dig in again, but keep it reasonably portioned.
BAD ADVICE: Exercising means you can eat more!
WHY YOU SHOULD SKIP IT: Your sweat session might not sizzle as many calories as you think. Thirty minutes on the elliptical, for example, cancels out only about half a blueberry muffin. If you're training for a 5K or other athletic event, you may need to eat more to fuel your workouts -- otherwise, consider regular exercise a stay-slim strategy, not immunity to the effects of polishing off an entire pizza.
HOW TO SMARTEN UP: Even the most intense cardio cannot erase the effects of a weekend chowfest, but it does benefit your health by increasing energy and lowering risk for heart disease. Another upside: Working out may make you feel good, so you eat better.
BAD ADVICE: Keep those too-tiny skinny jeans hanging in your closet as inspiration!
WHY YOU SHOULD SKIP IT: It seems to make sense: The sight of those pants or the ads with fashion models wearing them might motivate you to slim down. But experts say that many women feel worse about themselves after seeing skinny models in campaigns. And when you're down on yourself, it's harder to stick to an eating and exercise plan, even one that will help you slim down enough to wear those teeny tiny jeans.
HOW TO SMARTEN UP: Pay attention to everything healthy you have accomplished rather than what you haven't, or any shortcomings you think you have. And don't compare yourself to others. Instead, focus on your achievements, say, "I cut 1 minute off my 10K time." And don't obsess over the end goal, such as your proposed 15-pound weight loss. Keep goals small so they are more easily attainable, like "I'm going to make it to Spinning class twice this week," or "I'm going to drink water rather than juice or soda."
BAD ADVICE: Fruit and veggies are free foods!
WHY YOU SHOULD SKIP IT: Sure, produce is a must, but if you prefer high-sugar, high-calorie dried fruit, fruit juice and starchy veggies, proceed with caution. Corn and potatoes are higher in calories than other high-water-content vegetables such as cucumbers and green beans. Plus, you need three to five servings of veggies each day and only two to four servings of fruit, which tends to have more sugar and calories.
HOW TO SMARTEN UP: Go for water-rich veggies, such as zucchini and spinach, and high-fiber fruit, such as apples and berries. And swap out fatty sauces and dressings for low-cal ones such as salsa, fat-free ranch dressing and spritzes of lemon and lime.
Can you hear it? The sound of people giving diet advice is everywhere: Your mom, your coworkers, the TV news, even the cashiers at the cafeteria in my office building. To be fair, I'm game to dispense my own healthy eating wisdom when asked, even if it means subtly (or not so subtly) telling someone that the bag of chips they have in hand isn't necessarily helping his bottom line. But I've also noticed that the "shoulds" and "should-nots" so many people dole out can be factually incorrect.
See if you've heard any of the following common eating tips that can actually backfire and cause weight gain. Ignore them and watch stubborn pounds fall off:
BAD ADVICE: Eat a variety of foods!
WHY YOU SHOULD SKIP IT: Ask any buffet buff: We're hardwired to eat more when faced with countless different choices. This trait gives us an advantage when a spread consists of low-cal, filling fare such as veggies and lean protein. But unless you whiz by the baked goods section and restrict yourself to the produce displays, your kitchen is most likely stocked with a variety of healthy and not-so-healthy edibles.
HOW TO SMARTEN UP: Keeping special treats in the house is fine, but try to limit your stash to one or two of your favorites. The lion's share should be for a range of nutritious foods. Get inspired to prepare all those veggies, fruit and whole grains with one of thousands of recipes at Self.com.
BAD ADVICE: Always skip seconds!
WHY YOU SHOULD SKIP IT: When you know you can have only one plateful, chances are you will pile it sky-high. Hey, it's human nature -- get your fill while you can. The problem, of course, is that you will probably down every last morsel. On the other hand, knowing you can go back for another helping (if need be) encourages you to put less on your plate the first time around and allows your body to register fullness before the second helping.
HOW TO SMARTEN UP: Begin retraining yourself to start off with at least 20 percent less than you're used to eating. Then after 20 minutes -- the time it takes for us to start to feel full -- gauge your hunger. Still have an appetite? Dig in again, but keep it reasonably portioned.
BAD ADVICE: Exercising means you can eat more!
WHY YOU SHOULD SKIP IT: Your sweat session might not sizzle as many calories as you think. Thirty minutes on the elliptical, for example, cancels out only about half a blueberry muffin. If you're training for a 5K or other athletic event, you may need to eat more to fuel your workouts -- otherwise, consider regular exercise a stay-slim strategy, not immunity to the effects of polishing off an entire pizza.
HOW TO SMARTEN UP: Even the most intense cardio cannot erase the effects of a weekend chowfest, but it does benefit your health by increasing energy and lowering risk for heart disease. Another upside: Working out may make you feel good, so you eat better.
BAD ADVICE: Keep those too-tiny skinny jeans hanging in your closet as inspiration!
WHY YOU SHOULD SKIP IT: It seems to make sense: The sight of those pants or the ads with fashion models wearing them might motivate you to slim down. But experts say that many women feel worse about themselves after seeing skinny models in campaigns. And when you're down on yourself, it's harder to stick to an eating and exercise plan, even one that will help you slim down enough to wear those teeny tiny jeans.
HOW TO SMARTEN UP: Pay attention to everything healthy you have accomplished rather than what you haven't, or any shortcomings you think you have. And don't compare yourself to others. Instead, focus on your achievements, say, "I cut 1 minute off my 10K time." And don't obsess over the end goal, such as your proposed 15-pound weight loss. Keep goals small so they are more easily attainable, like "I'm going to make it to Spinning class twice this week," or "I'm going to drink water rather than juice or soda."
BAD ADVICE: Fruit and veggies are free foods!
WHY YOU SHOULD SKIP IT: Sure, produce is a must, but if you prefer high-sugar, high-calorie dried fruit, fruit juice and starchy veggies, proceed with caution. Corn and potatoes are higher in calories than other high-water-content vegetables such as cucumbers and green beans. Plus, you need three to five servings of veggies each day and only two to four servings of fruit, which tends to have more sugar and calories.
HOW TO SMARTEN UP: Go for water-rich veggies, such as zucchini and spinach, and high-fiber fruit, such as apples and berries. And swap out fatty sauces and dressings for low-cal ones such as salsa, fat-free ranch dressing and spritzes of lemon and lime.
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