20 HABITS THAT MAKE YOU FAT....
LuckBeWithU
Posts: 173 Member
20 HABITS THAT MAKE YOU FAT
20. #1: Eating "low-fat":
It sounds crazy, but stop buying foods marketed as low-fat or fat-free. Typically, they save you only a few calories and, in doing so, they replace harmless fats with low-performing carbohydrates that digest quickly—causing a sugar rush and, immediately afterward, rebound hunger. Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that meals that limited carbohydrates to 43 percent were more filling and had a milder effect on blood sugar than meals with 55 percent carbohydrates. That means you’ll store less body fat and be less likely to eat more later.
19. #2: Not seeking nutrition advice:
Good news here: By reading this, you’re already forming habits that can help you shed pounds. When Canadian researchers sent diet and exercise advice to more than 1,000 people, they found that the recipients began eating smarter and working more physical activity into their daily routines. Not surprisingly, the habits of the non-recipients didn’t budge.
18. #3: Sleeping too little or too much:
According to Wake Forest researchers, dieters who sleep five hours or less put on 2½ times more belly fat, while those who sleep more than eight hours pack on only slightly less than that. Shoot for an average of six to seven hours of sleep per night—the optimal amount for weight control.
17. #4: Eating free restaurant foods:
Breadsticks, biscuits, and chips and salsa may be complimentary at some restaurants, but that doesn’t mean you won’t pay for them. Every time you eat one of Olive Garden's free breadsticks or Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits, you're adding an additional 150 calories to your meal. Eat three over the course of dinner and that's 450 calories. That's also roughly the number of calories you can expect for every basket of tortilla chips you get at your local Mexican restaurant. What's worse, none of these calories comes paired with any redeeming nutritional value. Consider them junk food on steroids.
16. #5: Drinking soda—even diet!:
The average American guzzles nearly a full gallon of soda every week. Why is that so bad? Because a 2005 study found that drinking one to two sodas per day increases your chances of being overweight or obese by nearly 33 percent. And diet soda is no better. When researchers in San Antonio tracked a group of elderly subjects for nearly a decade, they found that compared to nondrinkers, those who drank two or more diet sodas a day watched their waistlines increase five times faster. The researchers theorize that the artificial sweeteners trigger appetite cues, causing you to unconsciously eat more at subsequent meals.
You'll also want to steer clear of these: the Worst Drinks in America!
15. #6: Skipping meals:
In a 2011 national survey from the Calorie Control Council, 17 percent of Americans admitted to skipping meals to lose weight. The problem is, skipping meals actually increases your odds of obesity, especially when it comes to breakfast. A study from the American Journal of Epidemiology found that people who cut out the morning meal were 4.5 times more likely to be obese. Why? Skipping meals slows your metabolism and boosts your hunger. That puts your body in prime fat-storage mode and increases your odds of overeating at the next meal.
14. #7: Eating too quickly:
If your body has one major flaw, this is it: It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it’s had enough. A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that slow eaters took in 66 fewer calories per meal, but compared to their fast-eating peers, they felt like they had eaten more. What’s 66 calories, you ask? If you can do that at every meal, you’ll lose more than 20 pounds a year!
13. #8: Watching too much TV:
A University of Vermont study found that overweight participants who reduced their TV time by just 50 percent burned an additional 119 calories a day on average. That’s an automatic 12-pound annual loss! Maximize those results by multitasking while you watch—even light household tasks will further bump up your caloric burn. Plus, if your hands are occupied with dishes or laundry, you’ll be less likely to mindlessly snack—the other main occupational hazard associated with tube time.
12. #9: Ordering the combo meal:
A study in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing shows that compared to ordering a la carte, you pick up a hundred or more extra calories by opting for the “combo” or “value meal." Why? Because when you order items bundled together, you're likely to buy more food than you want. You're better off ordering your food piecemeal. That way you won't be influenced by pricing schemes designed to hustle a few more cents out of your pocket.
11. #10: Facing the buffet:
Cornell researchers found that when eating at a buffet-style restaurant, obese diners were 15 percent more likely to choose seats with a clear view of the food. Your move: Choose a seat that places your back toward the spread. It will help you avoid fixating on the food.
10. #11: Eating off larger plates:
One study found that when given an option, a whopping 98.6 percent of obese individuals opt for larger plates. Translation: More food, more calories, and more body fat. Keep your portions in check by choosing smaller serving dishes. If need be, you can always go back for seconds.
9. #12: Putting serving dishes on the table:
Resist setting out foods buffet- or family-style, and opt instead to serve them from the kitchen. A study in the journal Obesity found that when food is served from the dinner table, people consume 35 percent more over the course of the meal. When an additional helping requires leaving the table, people hesitate to go back for more.
8. #13: Choosing white bread:
A study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when obese subjects incorporated whole grains into their diets, they lost more abdominal fat over the course of 12 weeks. There are likely multiple factors at play, but the most notable is this: Whole grain foods pack in more fiber and an overall stronger nutritional package than their refined-grain counterparts.
7. #14: Taking big bites:
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who took large bites of food consumed 52 percent more calories in one sitting than those who took small bites and chewed longer. By cutting food into smaller pieces, you can increase satiety and enjoy your food more thoroughly. A good general rule? The smaller your bites, the thinner your waistline.
6. #15: Not drinking enough water:
Adequate water intake is essential for all your body’s functions, and the more you drink, the better your chances of staying thin. In one University of Utah study, dieting participants who were instructed to drink two cups of water before each meal lost 30 percent more weight than their thirsty peers. And you can magnify the effect by adding ice. German researchers found that six cups of cold water a day could prompt a metabolic boost that incinerates 50 daily calories. That’s enough to shed five pounds a year!
5. #16: Having overweight friends:
Research from the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that when a friend becomes obese, it ups your chance of obesity by 57 percent. This probably has to do with the social norms that you’re exposed to. Rather than ditch a friend who starts to put on a few extra pounds though, suggest healthy activities that you can do together, and avoid letting him or her dictate the meal (“Let’s split the cheesecake!”).
4. #17: Eating too late :
Your body can burn flab while you sleep, but only if it isn't too busy processing a full stomach. A new study in the journal Obesity looked at the sleeping and eating habits of 52 people over seven days, and it found that those who ate after 8 p.m. took in the most daily calories and had the highest BMIs.
3. #18: Not using a scale:
Looking at your body weight reinforces weight-loss goals and makes it difficult to cheat your diet. When University of Minnesota researchers observed dieters who weighed themselves daily, they discovered that the routine of stepping on a scale helped those people lose twice as much weight as those who weighed themselves less frequently. Avoid being thrown off by natural fluctuations in body weight by stepping onto the scale at the same time every day.
2. #19: Drinking fruity beverages:
Most restaurants and bars have ditched their fresh-fruit recipes in favor of viscous syrups made mostly from high fructose corn syrup and thickening agents. As a general rule, the more garnishes a drink has hanging from its rim, the worse it is for your waistline.
1. #20: Eating when emotional:
A study from the University of Alabama found that emotional eaters—those who admitted eating in response to emotional stress—were 13 times more likely to be overweight or obese. If you feel the urge to eat in response to stress, try chewing a piece of gum, chugging a glass of water, or taking a walk around the block. Create an automatic response that doesn't involve food and you'll prevent yourself from overloading on calories.
20. #1: Eating "low-fat":
It sounds crazy, but stop buying foods marketed as low-fat or fat-free. Typically, they save you only a few calories and, in doing so, they replace harmless fats with low-performing carbohydrates that digest quickly—causing a sugar rush and, immediately afterward, rebound hunger. Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that meals that limited carbohydrates to 43 percent were more filling and had a milder effect on blood sugar than meals with 55 percent carbohydrates. That means you’ll store less body fat and be less likely to eat more later.
19. #2: Not seeking nutrition advice:
Good news here: By reading this, you’re already forming habits that can help you shed pounds. When Canadian researchers sent diet and exercise advice to more than 1,000 people, they found that the recipients began eating smarter and working more physical activity into their daily routines. Not surprisingly, the habits of the non-recipients didn’t budge.
18. #3: Sleeping too little or too much:
According to Wake Forest researchers, dieters who sleep five hours or less put on 2½ times more belly fat, while those who sleep more than eight hours pack on only slightly less than that. Shoot for an average of six to seven hours of sleep per night—the optimal amount for weight control.
17. #4: Eating free restaurant foods:
Breadsticks, biscuits, and chips and salsa may be complimentary at some restaurants, but that doesn’t mean you won’t pay for them. Every time you eat one of Olive Garden's free breadsticks or Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits, you're adding an additional 150 calories to your meal. Eat three over the course of dinner and that's 450 calories. That's also roughly the number of calories you can expect for every basket of tortilla chips you get at your local Mexican restaurant. What's worse, none of these calories comes paired with any redeeming nutritional value. Consider them junk food on steroids.
16. #5: Drinking soda—even diet!:
The average American guzzles nearly a full gallon of soda every week. Why is that so bad? Because a 2005 study found that drinking one to two sodas per day increases your chances of being overweight or obese by nearly 33 percent. And diet soda is no better. When researchers in San Antonio tracked a group of elderly subjects for nearly a decade, they found that compared to nondrinkers, those who drank two or more diet sodas a day watched their waistlines increase five times faster. The researchers theorize that the artificial sweeteners trigger appetite cues, causing you to unconsciously eat more at subsequent meals.
You'll also want to steer clear of these: the Worst Drinks in America!
15. #6: Skipping meals:
In a 2011 national survey from the Calorie Control Council, 17 percent of Americans admitted to skipping meals to lose weight. The problem is, skipping meals actually increases your odds of obesity, especially when it comes to breakfast. A study from the American Journal of Epidemiology found that people who cut out the morning meal were 4.5 times more likely to be obese. Why? Skipping meals slows your metabolism and boosts your hunger. That puts your body in prime fat-storage mode and increases your odds of overeating at the next meal.
14. #7: Eating too quickly:
If your body has one major flaw, this is it: It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it’s had enough. A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that slow eaters took in 66 fewer calories per meal, but compared to their fast-eating peers, they felt like they had eaten more. What’s 66 calories, you ask? If you can do that at every meal, you’ll lose more than 20 pounds a year!
13. #8: Watching too much TV:
A University of Vermont study found that overweight participants who reduced their TV time by just 50 percent burned an additional 119 calories a day on average. That’s an automatic 12-pound annual loss! Maximize those results by multitasking while you watch—even light household tasks will further bump up your caloric burn. Plus, if your hands are occupied with dishes or laundry, you’ll be less likely to mindlessly snack—the other main occupational hazard associated with tube time.
12. #9: Ordering the combo meal:
A study in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing shows that compared to ordering a la carte, you pick up a hundred or more extra calories by opting for the “combo” or “value meal." Why? Because when you order items bundled together, you're likely to buy more food than you want. You're better off ordering your food piecemeal. That way you won't be influenced by pricing schemes designed to hustle a few more cents out of your pocket.
11. #10: Facing the buffet:
Cornell researchers found that when eating at a buffet-style restaurant, obese diners were 15 percent more likely to choose seats with a clear view of the food. Your move: Choose a seat that places your back toward the spread. It will help you avoid fixating on the food.
10. #11: Eating off larger plates:
One study found that when given an option, a whopping 98.6 percent of obese individuals opt for larger plates. Translation: More food, more calories, and more body fat. Keep your portions in check by choosing smaller serving dishes. If need be, you can always go back for seconds.
9. #12: Putting serving dishes on the table:
Resist setting out foods buffet- or family-style, and opt instead to serve them from the kitchen. A study in the journal Obesity found that when food is served from the dinner table, people consume 35 percent more over the course of the meal. When an additional helping requires leaving the table, people hesitate to go back for more.
8. #13: Choosing white bread:
A study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when obese subjects incorporated whole grains into their diets, they lost more abdominal fat over the course of 12 weeks. There are likely multiple factors at play, but the most notable is this: Whole grain foods pack in more fiber and an overall stronger nutritional package than their refined-grain counterparts.
7. #14: Taking big bites:
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who took large bites of food consumed 52 percent more calories in one sitting than those who took small bites and chewed longer. By cutting food into smaller pieces, you can increase satiety and enjoy your food more thoroughly. A good general rule? The smaller your bites, the thinner your waistline.
6. #15: Not drinking enough water:
Adequate water intake is essential for all your body’s functions, and the more you drink, the better your chances of staying thin. In one University of Utah study, dieting participants who were instructed to drink two cups of water before each meal lost 30 percent more weight than their thirsty peers. And you can magnify the effect by adding ice. German researchers found that six cups of cold water a day could prompt a metabolic boost that incinerates 50 daily calories. That’s enough to shed five pounds a year!
5. #16: Having overweight friends:
Research from the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that when a friend becomes obese, it ups your chance of obesity by 57 percent. This probably has to do with the social norms that you’re exposed to. Rather than ditch a friend who starts to put on a few extra pounds though, suggest healthy activities that you can do together, and avoid letting him or her dictate the meal (“Let’s split the cheesecake!”).
4. #17: Eating too late :
Your body can burn flab while you sleep, but only if it isn't too busy processing a full stomach. A new study in the journal Obesity looked at the sleeping and eating habits of 52 people over seven days, and it found that those who ate after 8 p.m. took in the most daily calories and had the highest BMIs.
3. #18: Not using a scale:
Looking at your body weight reinforces weight-loss goals and makes it difficult to cheat your diet. When University of Minnesota researchers observed dieters who weighed themselves daily, they discovered that the routine of stepping on a scale helped those people lose twice as much weight as those who weighed themselves less frequently. Avoid being thrown off by natural fluctuations in body weight by stepping onto the scale at the same time every day.
2. #19: Drinking fruity beverages:
Most restaurants and bars have ditched their fresh-fruit recipes in favor of viscous syrups made mostly from high fructose corn syrup and thickening agents. As a general rule, the more garnishes a drink has hanging from its rim, the worse it is for your waistline.
1. #20: Eating when emotional:
A study from the University of Alabama found that emotional eaters—those who admitted eating in response to emotional stress—were 13 times more likely to be overweight or obese. If you feel the urge to eat in response to stress, try chewing a piece of gum, chugging a glass of water, or taking a walk around the block. Create an automatic response that doesn't involve food and you'll prevent yourself from overloading on calories.
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Replies
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This was great information,thanks for sharing!!!0
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GUILTY.0
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Thanks for sharing0
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Seems pretty reasonable to me.0
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About the sleep... I'm not so sure if that's true. Maybe I'm wrong, but every age group needs different amount of sleep. Depending on age, that's what i know. Anyone know more about this?0
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Thanks for sharing! I don't do MOST of these, but there are a few that I have a hard time with just because of my schedule for work....the biggest of which is eating after 8pm. I work in a restaurant (and NO, I do not eat there or snack on foods from there...I actually behave myself, especially after learning that one roll without butter has 183 calories!!) and when I get home from working at night, even if I ate before work, I am starving! I usually get home somewhere between 9 and 10pm, which translates into eating before bed.
Otherwise, I am pretty good with the rest: don't drink sodas (haven't for 22 years) and don't drink juices; in fact, water is my choice beverage.
I guess that gives me something to work on, huh?
Thanks again for sharing! Very insightful info.
:happy: 0 -
great information, thank you!!!0
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awesome post. I have taken a lot of these into account and it has helped me in my weight loss and my committment to logging food and exercise. I am an emotional eater and it is a real challenge to distinguish emotional hunger from real hunger. This website has helped me a lot. I also ask myself when I want junk if my body is craving it or if I am eating it to feel better. I still slip up, but it is getting a bit easier.0
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I think my worst habit is eating too fast sometimes. Most of the others I'm improving on...but it doesn't matter until I see results.0
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I definitely eat too fast... and when I'm bored, for sure!! Baaaad combination
I don't do most of those, but I eat free restaurant food for sure. Ugh.0 -
I have learned about all of these in the last 2 years! Thank you for sharing Julie!0
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I'm sorry, I think this is a bunch of bull.
I mean some of it maybe, but I think it is (mostly) eating more than you put in.0 -
About the sleep... I'm not so sure if that's true. Maybe I'm wrong, but every age group needs different amount of sleep. Depending on age, that's what i know. Anyone know more about this?
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Even with all my adaptive fitness & eating over the past few months I'm still guilty of a few things... Working graveyard shifts 3 nights a week on top of school though, sleep is hard to come by and I almost always eat after 8pm on those nights since my shift doesn't start till 9pm... >_<
Thanks for sharing this though! :flowerforyou:0 -
Even with all my adaptive fitness & eating over the past few months I'm still guilty of a few things... Working graveyard shifts 3 nights a week on top of school though, sleep is hard to come by and I almost always eat after 8pm on those nights since my shift doesn't start till 9pm... >_<
Thanks for sharing this though! :flowerforyou:
I am finding other information saying it is important to not to eat 3 hours, before you sleep. So if your night shift, it would be closer to dawn than dusk0 -
Skipping meals does not affect your metabolism and eating late doesn't matter as long as you don't go over your daily calories0
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I'm sorry, I think this is a bunch of bull.
I mean some of it maybe, but I think it is (mostly) eating more than you put in.
Agreed!!!0 -
Gotta remember that this advice is mostly based on scientific studies generalized for non-scientists. The quality of that translation often sucks, because if you've never been taught how to evaluate the quality of a study or how to interpret its results, it's very easy to mis-read (usually by overgeneralizing). Studies are, if they're good, designed to control as many variables as possible. Which means that their conclusions are often meaningful only to people like those in the study, not to everyone.
Example of crappy translation #1: that bit about eating after 8 pm. Out of 52 people (not a large sample, for the record), those who ate later took in more daily calories and had larger BMIs. How much larger? 2 points? 10? Both numbers are enough larger that they could be statistically different. In the real world, though, you might not notice a 2-point difference, but you'd definitely see a 10-point one. Another question: were the late eaters all obese? Does it matter? Because here's the thing: it may indeed be true that overweight and obese people are more likely to have a snack after dinner. Doesn't mean that eating later makes you fat. Just means that if you need or prefer to eat late, you can't "spend" all your calories by the end of dinner, or that late snack becomes excess.0 -
These are great tips that apply to me. Thanks!0
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Great information thank you for sharing I'm new to this site so thank you !!!0
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This week I will mostly be: Chewing gum and drinking water, whilst running round the block!!! Hope I dont choke on itt!!! Good information...thank you!! :happy:0
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About the sleep... I'm not so sure if that's true. Maybe I'm wrong, but every age group needs different amount of sleep. Depending on age, that's what i know. Anyone know more about this?
Yes. I'm not sure if somebody already replied, but you need a LOT of sleep when you are younger. This is because your body is in constant change, you are constantly growing. And the hormone that makes you grow, the accurately named "growth hormone" (GH), is released in large quantities when we sleep. That's why teens nap so much. That's why babies nap so much. It moves in cycles, like you can see in your image. Limiting sleep at these stages can limit your growth and make you shorter than you were naturally designed to be.0 -
I'm sorry, I think this is a bunch of bull.
I mean some of it maybe, but I think it is (mostly) eating more than you put in.
Most of these are about how to not go over your daily calories ie Not eating more - (for example most people eat free food without thinking - or assume drinks are lower cal then they are). The sleep one I am not to sure would make a big enough difference, but mostly they are good things to think about.0 -
I disagree with the diet soda thing. I have 3 or 4 cans a day and i credit it with sating my sweet tooth and allowing me to lose nearly 70 pounds to a 30" waist.
diet soda's not the problem for waistlines (other ailments, maybe), it's lack of food discipline!
it totally works in a calorie controlled diet, just like chocolate or fried chicken does too!
the whole "drink diet soda and your diet will fail" thing irritates me no end.0 -
BUMP . . . Thanks for sharing!0
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Weak science, especially the one about eating after 8 pm. Study showed that people who ate after 8 pm consumed more calories? More like, people who are obese and consume more calories are more LIKELY to eat after 8 pm. Trying to link two things together and make it sound like one causes the other with nothing to back it up....that leads me to be that much more critical of the rest of the info you have included.0
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