MISTAKE 1 EATING THE WRONG BREAKFAST
You've heard over and over again that people who eat a morning meal tend to be slimmer. But some people find that noshing in the am actually makes them hungrier. If you can relate, it may be that the "healthy breakfast" you're eating - such as cereal and fruit - contains too many carbohydrates, which could prime you to overeat later.
"When you have a sluggish metabolism, it's often a sign that you have some insulin resistance. This means your body has a hard time moving sugar from the bloodstream into your cells for fuel, and when that doesn't work right, you feel hungry even when you're physically not," says Dr Caroline Cederquist, a nutrition expert and medicai director of BistroMD, an online diet delivery service in the US, This is especially noticeable after waking up. In the morning, insulin levels tend to be already high. After a high-carb meal, they rise even more and then quickly nosedive, leaving you ravenous by noon.
THE SOLUTION Pair those carbs with protein to slow down the blood sugar response. Aim for 30g of protein (a cup of cottage cheese or two eggs and a container of plain low-fat Greek yogurt) and 20g to 30g of carbs (a medium banana, a thick slice of toast or packet of instant plain oatmeal).
MISTAKE 2 SKIMPING ON PROTEIN
All day long, your body goes through a process cailed protein turnover, which basically breaks down muscle tissues. Many women don't eat enough protein - which contains amino acids, the "main food" for muscles - to counteract this effect and properly maintain lean mass. This is not good as the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn no matter what you're doing.
THE SOLUTION The recommended daily dietary allowance for protein is 58g, but many women don't get enough. A serving is equal to one palm-sized portion (90g to 110g) of meat, poultry or seafood, and you should aim for two to three servings a day.
MISTAKE 3 EATING LESS TO LOSE WEIGHT
Yes, you have to cut calories, but as the number on the scale decreases, your metabolism can also take a dive for two reasons; Firstly, although some of the weight lost is fat, you also lose calorie-torching muscle.
Secondly, according to Dr Robert Yanagisawa, associate professor of medicine, endocrinology, diabetes and bone disease at Mount Sinai Hospital in the US, 'Vour body has its own "comfortable' weight because we're genetically primed to fight starvation.
"As you're losing weight, it tries to hang on to calories in order to get you back up to your baseline." You may also feel hungrier as your body tries to persuade you back to your set point. Luckily, it will gradually reset your weight to a new baseline, adds Dr Yanagisawa.
THE SOLUTION Until your body stops sabotaging your weight-loss efforts, the most important thing you can do is to load up on fruits and veggies. Your gastrointestinal system works overtime to break them down and torch a few extra calories, but most importantly, they're an effective way to fight hunger as they fill you up with low-calorie fibre.
Load half your ptate with produce at every meal and eat a salad with vinaigrette before or after dinner. The salad slows your eating speed, giving anti-hunger hormones the 20 to 30 minutes they need to kick in so you feel full and wiil eat less at your meal - or will be better able to resist dessert afterwards.
MISTAKE 4 DRINKING DIET SODA
It's a cruel twist of fate that something calorie-free can plump you out. "Studies Show that artificial sugar stimulates the same hormonal and metabolic responses as real sugar," Dr Cederquist says. With fake sweetener, receptors in your brain and gut anticipate getting calories from sugar. In response, your body releases the fat-storage hormone insulin.
THE SOLUTION "Toss the calorie-free stuff and start eating real food," advises Dr Cederquist. You want to stop drinking diet soda completely, but if you tend to guzzle several cans a day and don t want to quit cold turkey, start by cutting back to one can and always consume diet drinks with a meal. "That way, your body gets the calories it's expecting, so there's less of an insulin response," she explains.
MISTAKES 5 NOT WASHING PRODUCE
Pesticides are not iust insect killers, but endocrine disrupters as well Because the endocrine system controls metabolism. exposure to certain chemicals can increase one's appetite, stimulate fat cells and cause a sluggish metabolism, says Dr Isaacs. Pesticide residue on produce - as well as any plastic packaging they come in - can throw off your hormone levels and even lead to weight gain.
THE SOLUTION Keep eating those fruits and veggies, but be diligent about washing everything, including pre-washed salad mixes and fruits with rinds, such as cantaloupes and avocados. Dr Isaacs recommends submerging produce in a large bowl of water for one to two minutes, then rinsing under runningwater. Use a soft brush to scrub citrus andother fruit with hard peels.
MISTAKE 6 CLEANSING
If there's one thing about juice fasts, you do lose weight pretty quiickly. But most of that is water and muscle tissues, says Dr Cederquist. Vou can probably guess where we're going with this: When you deny your body the nutrients It needs by consuming too few calories and inadequate protein, your body will break down muscle tissue. "In the end, you'll just gain that weight back when you start eating again and maybe even more because you've lost muscle mass," she says.
THE SOLUTION Consult your doctor if you're really keen to try this and don't start any cleansing regime on your own.
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