"For the most part, cereals are not exactly high in nutrients, apart from synthetic nutrients that are added. Cereals are also low in protein and high in carbohydrates, so if weight loss is your goal, then it's going to be pretty hard if you're fuelling your body with carbs." Many cereals have a high glycaemic index (GI), meaning they're unlikely to keep you full and are likely to bring an energy crash. "In my experience, people who eat cereal for breakfast are generally the people who have the energy slump in the afternoon,"
The correction: Start your day with a fry-up (spray oil of course). "A high-protein fruit smoothie, eggs,
bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes, or even leftover dinner from the night before is an ideal breakfast. You will notice a difference in your energy within a few days and you are more likely to burn fat by having a breakfast like this."
2. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is almost entirely (91 per cent) made up of unhealthy saturated fat. "This contributes to the build-up of fatty material, called plaque, on the inside of your blood vessels and is a major cause of heart disease. This high concentrate of saturated fats raises bad cholesterol levels, clogs the artenes and increases the risk of heart disease. While fresh coconut does provide some dietary fibre, the oil it contains is
predominantly saturated fat and so its use should be limited in a healthy balanced diet."
The correction: Choose healthier fats such as monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats - omega-3 and omega-6-which reduce 'bad' LDL cholesterol and increase the 'good' HDL cholesteroL This helps to lower your risk of heart disease. Reduce saturated fat intake by using canola or olive oil.
3. Low kJ Snacks
The belief that low-energy foods equal weight loss is one of the biggest fat loss furphies. Often the side effect of chasing minimum kJs is meals based on highly processed, nutrient-poor foods High GI foods like rice crackers and rice cakes may be low in kJs but are broken down very quickly. That means a similar hit of energy to that which you'd get with table sugar. It places strain on the pancreas to produce lots of insulin very quickly. In the short term, that means energy slumps and hunger soon after eating. Longer term, the pressure can promote type 2 diabetes and weight gain.
The correction: Base meals and snacks on whole foods, which are less energy dense (translation: more filling bang for your calorie buck). For snacks, get creative with vegies - think zucchini chips with ricotta or Greek yoghurt. For meals, include vegetables, a portion of protein such as dairy legumes or meat, and a serve of grains or low-GI carbs - try wholegrain bread, brown rice, quinoa or buckwheat groats. "By eating complex, whole food meals instead of focusing on low-kilojoule foods you'll have increased and sustained energy, increased nutrient intake, increased appetite control, decreased chances of weight gain and increased general wellbeing."
4. Juice
Because the calories come primarily from sugar, your body doesn't detect it in the some way it logs food calories. Care factor? You can down a ton of calories without the attention of your body's usual 'appetite off' switches. Just how dangerous is it? A glass of OJ with no added sugar contains 400 kJ - not much less than a piece of toast with Vegemite, except the fibre and chewing make it unlikely that you'd down four pieces in a row and still be hungry. Four OJs? Not so hard!
5. Clean Eating
Eating healthily or dean often causes a counterproductive halo effect. When clients consume few processed, junky foods and emphasise fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and lean protein sources, they often make the mistake of believing they can eat as much as they like and still lose weight. The reality is that a calorie surplus, even if it is in healthy foods, will cause weight gain or impede weight loss. Nuts and seeds are particularly high in kJs - despite containing healthy fats and filling protein.
The correction: Achieve a moderate calorie reduction by downsizing portions and increasing energy expenditure through exercise, the logical outlawing of 'fattening' foods is a trap that sets you up to swing wildly between deprivation and overdoing it, "No food is forbidden unless your taste buds tell you that's how it's going to be!" To lose weight, aim for a realistic daily calorie deficit of 20 to 30 per cent.
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