Tip 19: How “Diet Foods” Make You Fat
If you’re on a
diet, it makes sense to eat diet foods and drink diet sodas, right?
The diet food industry certainly hopes you think so. In reality, diet
foods and drinks can be just as bad for you as their regular
counterparts.
Diet foods come in
two main varieties: sugar-free and fat-free. Sugar-free foods are
sweetened with artificial sweeteners like aspartame, saccharine, or
sucralose. These chemicals taste so sweet that they trigger your body
to produce insulin, a chemical that regulates blood glucose levels.
But since the
foods don’t contain sugar, the insulin doesn’t have anything to
do once it’s in your system. This causes hunger and lethargy, and
might make you eat much more than you normally would. Over time, your
body could become resistant to the excess insulin, paving the way for
diabetes.
Fat-free foods are
typically enhanced with extra sugar and MSGs. These make the foods
taste better, but they can raise the blood sugar to unhealthy levels.
Foods with no fat content tend to get processed very quickly by the
body, leaving you hungry again in short order.
How would you like to
transform your body without living at the gym? Check out Tom Venuto’s
“Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle” powerful weight loss system:
Tip 20: Dieting During the Holidays
Nobody relishes
the idea of dieting during the holidays. With so many seasonal treats
about (and several days of leftovers), it’s not easy to stick to
your plan. But consider the alternative: Eating whatever you want for
days on end, and then starting the New Year with extra pounds to
lose. Ugh!
You can celebrate
with family and friends without breaking your diet. First, designate
which meals will be “splurge” meals. Indulge without guilt during
those meals, and eat sensibly the rest of the time.
You can keep
yourself on track by filling up on low-calorie snacks before you sit
down to a tempting feast. Keep your portions small, and drink plenty
of water or tea between bites.
Try to stay as
active as possible during the holidays. It might not be realistic to
hit the gym on a holiday, but do get outside for a nice stroll and
maybe a snowball fight or two.
Tip 21: How to Control Yourself at a Buffet
“All you can
eat!” Those four words are enough to send many dieters into a
panic. Unlimited food - and the ability to serve yourself massive
portions - is not conducive to losing weight. Still, you can safely
navigate a buffet on occasion by following these tips:
First, don’t
show up hungry. If you’re half-starved when you arrive at the
buffet, you’ll be very likely to overeat. Instead, snack on fruit
and veggies before you even leave the house, to take the edge off of
your hunger.
At the buffet,
skip the bread basket and fill your plate with salad and vegetables
drizzled in a low-calorie dressing. Get some lean protein as well.
Look for grilled or roasted meats instead of fried or breaded.
Drink water or
unsweetened tea, and sip a broth-based soup to help you fill up
faster. If you still have room for dessert, have something small like
a half-cup of frozen yogurt with fat-free chocolate syrup.
Tomorrow's Tips:
Tip
22: Low Carb vs Low Fat: Which is Best?
Tip
23: Why Mini-Meals Rev Your Metabolism
Tip
24: The Fat-Burning Powers of Protein
No comments:
Post a Comment