Is Your Diet Making You Fat?
By Monica Ciociola
Most dieters know enough to
empty their fridges and cupboards of irresistible temptations like
Häagen-Dazs ice cream, brownies, and cinnamon rolls. But they're much more
lenient about keeping fat-free, low-fat diet foods around, even stocking up on
them. Admittedly, I wouldn't dare consume a single Mrs. Field's cookie when I'm
on a diet but can somehow finish off an entire pint of low-fat frozen yogurt
without any guilt.
 Fat-free frozen yogurt. Stocking up on
fat-free frozen yogurt along with everything else labeled fat free will deprive
your body of some of the essential fats it needs to lose weight. Worse, you
might suffer from other symptoms of fat deficiency like irritable moods, dry
hair, dry skin, and digestive problems. And just because it's "fat free"
doesn't mean it's calorie free or lower in calories. In fact, its manufacturers
may have compensated for the lack of fat by flavoring it with more sugar, which
packs on the calories and the pounds.
 Healthy cereals. Just because a cereal is
marketed as "healthy" or "smart" doesn't mean it's a good way to start your
day. The best thing to do is ignore the marketing on the front of the box and
check the nutrition facts on the side of the box. Select cereals with whole
grains listed as the first ingredient: whole wheat, whole oats, or rye. Stay
away from cereals that have sugar listed as the first ingredient.
 Diet soda. Like most people, you probably think,
"Diet soda contains no calories or sugar, so I can drink as much as I want and
lose weight, right?" Wrong. Diet sodas are loaded with artificial sweeteners
that convince the brain that it's real sugar, so the body releases insulin to
help metabolize the artificial sweetener. Since there's no real sugar present,
the excess insulin performs its other task of signaling the body to store
fat—not exactly great for your waistline.
 Protein bars. Bars are a great way to get the
perfect balance of carbohydrates, fats, and high-quality proteins when you're
on the go. However, if you're trying to lose weight, read the ingredients
carefully because all health bars are not the same. Most don't contain enough
protein and fiber, and instead contain too much sugar and trans fat, resembling
candy bars much more than so-called "health bars." Aim for 18 grams of protein,
4 grams of fiber, and nearly zero grams of saturated fats. To eliminate the
guess work, Beachbody™ Nutritionals & Supplements meet all of these
criteria.
 Salad. A bowl of plain mixed greens would be a
healthy lunch choice, but not much fun. So we go ahead and add some croutons,
cheese, and ranch dressing, and pretty soon we've created a salad dressed to
kill. You should know that just two tablespoons of regular dressing adds more
than 100 calories and 10 grams of fat, and on top of that, the cheese and
croutons add another 100 to 200 calories and 10 grams of fat. To keep your
salad healthy and guilt free, try dressing it with lemon juice, balsamic
vinegar, or no more than two tablespoons of low-fat dressing. You can add a
small amount of healthy fats found in walnuts and almonds. And if it's your
main course, try adding a small amount of protein from tuna, beans, chicken, or
salmon. |
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