FitSugar

Common Diet Sabotages: Part Two

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 03:30:00 PDT

Can't seem to figure out why you can't lose those last few pounds? It may not be the hours you're not spending at the gym or those random fast food runs that are sabotaging your diet, but rather the little things we may not even think about. Women's Health found common culprits for what may actually be keeping you from your goal weight. Here are more highlights:

You're too routine. Nothing is wrong with a schedule, but your body thrives on variety. Especially when it comes to working out and eating. If you eat the same thing and do the same workout every day, you're not doing as much to help your goal than if you were changing it up from time to time.

There's more so

Common Diet Sabotages: Part One

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 03:30:00 PDT

You're using the wrong serving utensils, and I'm not talking about etiquette here. If you find that you're always using big spoons and knives. Knives and spoons often go hand in hand with unhealthy items like mayo, peanut butter, ice cream. Forks, on the other hand, are better served to dig in to foods like salads, steamed fresh vegetables, and chewy lean meats.

There's more so

Blake Lively Uses Cupcakes to Fatten Up Ryan Reynolds

Michele Foley — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 21:51:55 PDT

Based on her baked-goods antics, it looks like Blake Lively has a bit of a competitive streak in her. At a press conference for The Green Lantern, Blake joked that she attempted to thwart costar Ryan Reynolds's efforts to bulk up with his weakness - cupcakes. "It was just a way to sabotage Ryan. He was working out as much as he was, and I'm the girl. I'm supposed to look better." Ryan was happy to oblige, but based on the previews I'm seeing of the movie, it looks as if the cupcakes did very little in wrecking his form.

While Blake was definitely joking, this isn't always the case. Have you ever known anyone that was just a little too generous with gifting you baked goods?

4 Ways to Prep a Healthy Dinner Quickly

Leta Shy — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:10:51 PST

Just one bad decision - like quieting your rumbling stomach with greasy takeout - can undo a day of healthy eating. If you've been sabotaging your diet because of unhealthy dinner decisions, use these tips to cook a healthy meal without sacrificing time.

Double the amount: Week already looking full? Make extra servings the next time you cook so you can have healthy leftovers for the rest of the week. If you're worried about overeating, separate the leftovers into single-serving containers.

Prep your veggies: Spend time at the beginning of the week washing, cleaning, and cutting veggies, so you always have salad ingredients or something to snack on. Having veggies cut will also encourage you to use them more in your cooking since you know you have them at the ready.

Keep unhealthy food out of the kitchen: When I'm hungry, I reach for the first snack I can find, which usually isn't nutritious and often comes in a bag. If you're the same, stocking the fridge with healthy snacks can help, but not if you're tempted by all the junk food in your pantry. Keep unhealthy foods out of the house or divide your snacks into smaller portions to avoid ravenously going through an entire bag of chips before you even make dinner.

Eat a balanced lunch and snack: A lunch full of fiber and protein from fresh veggies, fruits, and lean meats will keep you full throughout the afternoon much more than a carb bomb or a too-restrictive meal. Following lunch with a healthy snack can lessen the temptation to order takeout once you get home since you'll be feeling full and satisfied. Check out our healthy snack ideas to get started.

Feeling Stuffed vs. Growling Stomach? How to Find the Right Balance

Leta Shy — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 04:25:07 PST

Like being overly stuffed, skipping meals can be the worst thing you can do for your waistline. Being too hungry signals your metabolism to slow down (and being overly hungry can make you want to eat anything and everything in sight). But here are a few things to remember when it comes to those stomach grumbles.

A little hunger can be good: Missing meals is a bad idea, but those slight hunger pangs are just a sign that it's time to refuel. It means that your metabolism is working, so don't think that a few stomach grumbles are bad. If you find that you're never really hungry while you eat, think about when and how you're eating instead of always sticking to a schedule. Read more tips on how to use a little hunger to your advantage here.

Double-check your motivation: Is it hunger, or are you just bored? Emotional eating can sabotage any healthy diet plans we have. Cravings that cause you to dig into that whole bag of chips can be a sign that you may be emotionally eating instead of actually being hungry. Read our tips for how to distinguish between mind hunger from actual hunger here.

Can Diet Soda Make You Fat?

Shape — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 04:34:20 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to nutritional consultant Mike Roussell, PhD, for some help!

Q: I'm a Diet Coke junkie. Despite having 0 calories, could this habit be sabotaging my weight-loss efforts?

A: In a word: no. While drinking diet soda every day isn't exactly good for your health, the chances of it sabotaging your weight-loss efforts are slim. The common misconception regarding the role of diet soda and weight gain comes from a couple of studies that received a lot of media attention. One such study looked at more 6,500 participants and found that diet soda drinkers were 67 percent more likely to have diabetes and 37 percent more likely to have metabolic syndrome (a combo of symptoms that is basically where pre-diabetes meets heart disease). What's more, data from the Framingham Heart Study, the longest running heart disease study in the US, found a 56-percent increase in metabolic syndrome when people drank one or more diet sodas per day!

Find out how diet soda affects weight gain after the break!

Do You Give High-Calorie Treats For the Holidays?

Leta Shy — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 12:54:15 PST

Spreading holiday cheer often means baking up a storm, and then sharing the fruits of your oven with friends and family. But sometimes giving someone a thoughtful plate of treats may mean you're tempting them with diet-busting treats too good to pass up.

I love to bake, so the holidays are a time when my oven gets a lot of use. And while it may be good for my willpower to give away the goods, I'm sure my well-meaning cookies and cupcakes have sabotaged a healthy resolution or two. Do you make sure you stick to nonedibles (or other healthy alternatives) when you gift treats, or do you give away only the best indulgences?

Should You Skip Sleep to Fit in a Workout?

Shape — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 04:33:26 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. Shape turned to personal trainer and strength coach Joe Dowdell for the answer!

Q. What's more important: getting enough sleep or fitting in an early-morning or late-night workout?

A. To change your body composition in the least amount of time, cleaning up your diet and getting seven to eight hours of quality sleep are both essential. Sleep is extremely important for body composition and helps the body and brain restore and rejuvenate in many different ways. Plus, sleep (or the lack thereof) affects important hormonal activity tied to appetite and therefore has a direct impact on your ability to lose weight (i.e. body fat).

One study published online at the Public Library of Science shows how sleep is connected to eating habits and weight gain. The December 2004 study found that people who slept less than seven to eight hours a night ate significantly more and weighed more than those who slept longer. What's more, the more sleep deprived the person was, the more they ate and the greater their weight gain. These results can be directly attributed to two key appetite-regulating hormones: leptin and ghrelin. Leptin (a hormone secreted by our fat cells) and ghrelin (a hormone secreted in our stomachs) work like a checks and balances system in the body and control your feelings of fullness and hunger. When you don't get enough sleep, your leptin levels drop and your ghrelin levels rise. In other words, you're more likely to crave sugary, high-carb foods (thanks to higher levels of Ghrelin) that have the potential to sabotage your diet. The growth hormone - which is extremely important for tissue repair, body fat reduction, and healthy immune function - also gets released during sleep.

Now you can see why getting quality sleep is just as important as your workout routine and nutrition. In fact, I would rank sleep and diet as more important than exercise, especially if fat loss (i.e. getting a lean, toned body) is your primary goal.

How Your Thoughts Can Lead to Weight Gain

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 11:08:52 PDT

Your mind is a powerful tool that can make or break your quest to slim down, and the combination of a positive attitude and realistic goals goes a long way when it comes to reaching your goals. Avoid these sabotaging thoughts that often lead to weight gain.

"I just got married so to heck with dieting and exercise. It's time to celebrate!"
You worked hard in the months leading up to the big day and it showed when you walked down the aisle. But saying your vows and slipping on that wedding band shouldn't give you the green light to throw all your hard work out the window. Definitely take time to celebrate, but don't overdo it. Keep up with your exercise routine and healthy diet so you can continue to look and feel good in your amazing body.

"I worked out this morning so I can eat whatever I want."
A typical 30-minute workout burns about 300 calories, so you do the math. Does that mean you can eat two slices of pizza, a bag of potato chips, a cupcake from a co-worker's birthday, and a huge burrito? In order to lose a pound a week, you need to cut out or burn a total of 500 calories a day. If you splurge at night just because you hit the gym in the morning, the numbers on the scale will end up rising.

"That girl over there is eating a sundae, and she looks skinny, so I can have one too."
Unfortunately, there are people who can eat whatever they want and never gain a pound. If you know in your heart you're not one of those people, don't try to convince yourself that you are.

"I'll always have a weight problem, so I'm not even going to try to lose weight."
You can't give up before trying! If you've always struggled with your weight, figure out how to stop the cycle. Whether you need to meet with your doctor, join a weight loss program, hire a personal trainer, or take cooking lessons, making that first positive change toward your journey to a healthier and more fit you is the hardest part.

What other thoughts do you have that get in the way of reaching your weight loss goals?

What Booze Is Doing to Your Looks

Allure — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 10:20:51 PDT

We're excited to present this article from Allure!

As much as we delight in sharing positive beauty news about alcohol on Daily Beauty Reporter-Red wine protects your teeth from cavities! Boozers tend to exercise more!-it's obvious that excessive drinking takes a toll on your appearance.

After my interview with Brooke Shields in Allure's April issue, I was inspired by something that she said: "When I drink too much alcohol, go on a few hours of sleep, don't eat well, and don't sweat, I look five to ten years older."

See, lately, I have found myself skipping the gym, sleeping terribly, and pouring a second (or third) glass too often-and I'm wearing it. To kick off an overall lifestyle cleanse, I decided to take a 30-day break from alcohol. Helping me stay away from my Maker's Mark, are these negative effects of overindulging. See the rest when you keep reading.