3 Mistakes Dieters Make

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Weight Watchers eTools article of the week: 3 Mistakes Dieters Make

~~~ What Not To Do While Losing Weight

You work so hard and can't wait to see results. So when one small decision

throws you off the weight-loss track completely, it's no wonder you're

frustrated.

Why does this happen? It's not because you're destined never to achieve your

goals. And it's not because you have no control. You're just making some of the

most common mistakes associated with weight loss.

~ It's All About Forethought

Don't worry, though: With a little warning and a lot of will, you can study up

and avoid the mishaps that are driving you crazy. Use the following list as a

cheat sheet.

MISTAKE #1:

Not planning ahead. During holiday celebrations like the Fourth of July, having

a plan is especially important. With all that food around, you have to have a

strategy. What will you do when your mother insists that you have another

burger? When your kids want ice cream? When the tuna salad is made with extra

mayo?

Even when it's not a holiday, being without a backup plan can make you feel at

the mercy of food. For example, what do you do when you:

Don't have time to fix a healthy breakfast?

Are invited to a restaurant that offers no healthy options?

Are stressed?

Are bored?

Want to relax?

Use Mental Rehearsing, a powerful tool from Weight Watchers Tools For Living, to

practice succeeding in these situations. But above all, think about them before

they happen, decide what you can do to uphold your weight-loss goals, and stick

with your plan of action.

(Mental Rehearsing is practicing in your mind ahead of time, being in a

situation that you know you'll find tough. Our minds and our bodies form one

system, so your mind can help you prepare your body for the actual situation in

which you want to behave or act a certain way.)

*** Mental Rehearsing For You ***

Think about how you would rehearse mentally in preparation for an event that you

expect will be hard on you.

~ Identify the situation and decide that you want to respond to it in

a more resourceful way than you have in the past.

~ Imagine yourself in the situation as though you're watching

yourself in a movie. Ask yourself the following questions, so you

can create a specific situation in your head.

^ What day is it?

^ Where are you?

^ What are you saying?

^ What exactly are you doing?

^ How are you doing it?

~ Rehearse your desired response. Now step into the movie and

practice responding the way the New You wants to respond. See what

you will see. Hear what you will hear. Feel what you will feel and

do what you will do in the actual situation.

~ Repeat this several times in anticipation of the event.

MISTAKE #2:

Saying " Just this once.. " Deciding at the last minute to forget about your plan

and have a second helping, " just this once, " is dangerous. Not because you

should never enjoy foods you love or allow yourself wiggle room, but because

when you haven't planned on them, splurges can often lead to more splurges, and

all of a sudden you could be spiraling out of control.

It's too easy: Just this one meal becomes just this one day, which becomes just

this one week. Then you avoid the scale because you feel guilty, and all of a

sudden just that one meal made all the difference.

MISTAKE #3:

Saying " All or nothing. " That said, you must allow yourself to enjoy foods you

love, even occasional " unhealthy " foods. Cutting out all of your favorites will

make you miserable, and misery will not help you lose weight. Plus, it's no fun!

So let some of those favorite foods into your diet, and enjoy them - just do so

with forethought and restraint.

~~~ The Top 5 Diet Blunders

You're eating less and exercising more. Why won't that scale budge? Even when

you feel like you're doing everything right, there are certain behaviors that

can still get in the way. Are you guilty of any of these habits?

1. Skipping Breakfast

Running late for work again? Before you bolt out the door on nothing but a cup

of coffee, be aware that skipping breakfast can be bad news for weight loss.

Chances are, you're going to feel hungry later, and that may be when you have

less access to healthy food and are more likely to reach for a doughtnut.

Antidote: Keep something on hand that you can eat on the run, such as fruit,

yogurt or fat-free cereal bars.

2. Feasting on Family Favorites

When your kids or spouse have a favorite family meal, it's hard to ban it from

your menu list. Family favorites, such as lasagna, are often high in fat and

calories.

Antidote: Treat yourself to a smaller serving of the main meal and a large

serving of vegetables or salad. It's also a good idea to try to find a lower-fat

version of the family favorite.

3. Social Overeating

Eating whatever you wanted at a restaurant was okay in the days when people ate

out only a few times a year. But these days we eat out every week, if not every

day.

Antidote: Search the menu for meals cooked using low-fat methods, such as

grilling or stir-frying, and ask for sauces and dressings on the side. That way

you can control how much you have.

4. Not Counting Nibbles

A few potato chips while you clean the house. Just a sliver of cake while you

cook dinner. When we snack, we tend to be standing up or have our attention

focused on another task. This can lead to thinking the calories " don't count. "

Unfortunately, they do.

Antidote: Set ground rules, such as " I don't eat in the car or while I'm

watching television. " And always, always keep track of everything you eat during

the day. Knowing you'll have to write it down will make you think twice about

having that one bite.

5. Expecting Too Much Too Soon

After several months of dedication you're down in the dumps - you feel the scale

has barely moved. Expecting too much weight loss too soon is an extremely common

diet blunder. A healthy rate of weight loss is up to two pounds a week. But many

people aim for more than that, then feel like failures and give up when they

don't reach that unrealistically high goal.

Antidote: Make " slow and steady " your diet mantra. If you really don't believe

that one to two pounds amounts to much weight loss, lift two pounds of butter

the next time you're at the supermarket. You'll realize how well you're doing.

~~~ 5 Reasons You Can't Lose Weight

You're doing your best to slim down, but the scale doesn't seem to budge. Sound

familiar? " Weight loss revolves around all aspects of your lifestyle - sleep,

stress, even mood, " says Bonci, MPH, RD, the director of Sports Medicine

Nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. " And if you're

neglecting one of these, you may be sabotaging your success. "

We've come up with the top five reasons you may not be dropping dress sizes.

Read on to find out if one's affecting you - so you can get back to getting

results.

1. You're skimping on sleep.

" If you don't sleep enough, your body looks for another way to find energy, "

says Bonci. " More often than not, that means you end up overeating just to stay

awake. " Plus, she adds, when you're exhausted you're less inclined to make smart

food choices, and may even reach for 'quick fuel' - think sugar-laden or starchy

products like donuts. Aim for seven to nine hours of shut-eye a night.

2. You're not combining diet and exercise.

" Many people think that if they work out, they can eat whatever they want, " says

Kelli Calabrese, MS, a spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise. " They

may gain muscle, which is great, but they won't see their shape change

significantly until they cut back on calories, too. "

3. You're stressed out.

Stress works similarly to sleep deprivation, in that many people reach for food

to cope, says Calabrese. Plus, many avoid the gym when they're anxious or

overloaded, thinking they don't have time. But Calabrese points out that a good

workout is crucial during tough times: " Exercise is one of the best things you

can do to bring your stress level down. "

4. You look at food as the enemy.

" Restricting your favorite foods, or targeting foods as 'good' and 'bad' will

only set you up for a binge, " says Bonci. " The key to weight loss is overall

calorie reduction. Eat what you like, but eat less of it. " And remember that

eating after exercise is a must, stresses Calabrese. " Don't skip meals,

post-workout, thinking you'll burn even more calories, " she says. " Without fuel,

your body goes into starvation mode, and your metabolism becomes sluggish to

compensate. " She recommends a balanced snack or meal that combines protein,

carbohydrates and fat (like yogurt).

5. You haven't tried a new approach.

" Many people I work with relapse many times before successfully losing weight, "

says Bonci. " So don't give up if your first attempt isn't successful, " she says.

" Switch things up by lifting weights or eating several mini-meals a day, for

example. Try, try again - sooner or later your persistence will pay off. "

~~~ Separating Food Facts From Fiction

Can an apple a day really keep the doctor away? That belief has been common

since medieval times, and it turns out for good reason: Researchers from Cornell

University have found that an apple's peel and flesh contain powerful

cancer-fighting and -preventing chemicals.

Apples may live up to their age-old reputation, but blindly following food

adages and superstitions can sometimes be harmful, says a Duyff, MS, RD,

author of Food Folklore: Tales and Truths about What We Eat (Chronimed

Publishing, 1998). So seek out the guidance of a licensed health professional

before you try any suspicious dietary " cures. "

Here are six other food-oriented health adages, along with what the experts say

about them:

1. Should I feed a cold and starve a fever?

This is definitely one from the dark ages. Science shows that people who have

fevers have an increased need for calories, not a decreased one, and there seems

to be no justification for overeating when someone has a cold (although some

like to think being sick warrants a sympathy doughnut or two).

encourages lots of fluids - broth, juice, Jell-O - and whatever else you can

stomach, adding that " chicken soup will work as well as anything else. "

2. If I eat less, will my stomach shrink?

Dieters want to believe this (especially as bathing suit season approaches), but

it's not true. Whereas our stomachs do expand to handle a large amount of food,

explains Duyff, once they're empty, they go back to their normal size.

3. Are fresh vegetables better than frozen or canned ones?

Canned carrots might not be your idea of a tasty dish, but that doesn't mean you

should discredit them. Frozen and canned vegetables can actually be more

nutritious than fresh ones, according to the American Institute for Cancer

Research. They're often picked and processed at their peak of ripeness, using

techniques that lock in a slew of nutrients. Just make sure not to destroy their

nutritional value by overcooking them. However, if you're watching your sodium

intake, buy either frozen or reduced-sodium canned veggies.

4. Can chicken soup cure the common cold?

Studies show that there might be an anti-inflammatory benefit to chicken soup.

Is it powerful enough though to replace that " nighttime, sniffling, sneezing,

achy, stuffy head, fever so you can rest and have a good morning " medicine? " I

wouldn't bank on it, " says , but if the soup feels good going down, enjoy

it.

5. Will eating grapefruits burn off extra calories?

Wouldn't it be great if we could just pop a ruby red to lose weight? Reality is,

though, it takes much more than a grapefruit to whittle away a 32-inch waist.

Whereas the digestion of a grapefruit, or any other food, will burn calories,

it's not nearly enough to shed pounds. Plus, you don't want to eat just

grapefruit, do you?

6. Can drinking alcoholic beverages warm me up on a blustery winter

day?

Depending on your cocktail of choice, it might burn your throat and give you the

illusion of warmth. But truth be told, if you're relying on alcohol to warm you

up while skiing or ice skating, you'd be better off putting on a heavier

sweater. Drinking alcohol makes us lose heat, Duyff explains.

~~~ Overcoming 5 Common Weight Loss Obstacles

If you're new to dieting (and maybe even if you aren't), you may think that a

successful weight-loss journey is one that's struggle-free. It starts the day

you snap out of your old habits and start eating and exercising the right way,

and ends the day you are at the weight of your dreams. And there isn't a single

hitch along the way.

Well, here's something you ought to know. Heller, MS, RD, senior

clinical nutritionist at the New York University Medical Center in New York

City, says, " In the course of a weight loss journey, everybody encounters

obstacles. "

" We can't be perfect, " says Heller. But getting thrown off track occasionally

does not mean you've messed up for good. Don't set yourself up for failure by

believing that. In any process that requires changing lifestyle habits, there

are going to be ups and downs. Understand that, and you're on your way to

lifelong success.

Obstacle Advice

That said, expecting ups and downs is the perfect way to make them work for you,

rather than against you. We asked several dieters what they think are the most

common weight-loss obstacles. Here's what they said, and what you should do when

you come across these challenges on your weight-loss journey.

Common Obstacle #1: Shame

One dieter said: " My biggest mistake? Skipping my weekly weight-loss meeting if

I think I gained some weight. That's when I need help the most! "

How to jump the hurdle: Knowing you overindulged can be upsetting, says Heller,

but instead of punishing yourself, learn from the lesson. Out of shame, you may

feel tempted to stop keeping track of what you eat, or to stop stepping on the

scale. Don't! " Keeping a good food diary keeps you conscious and aware of what

you're doing, " she says. You can use it - together with your scale - to find out

how well you're doing, and most important, why you're getting the results that

you are.

Common Obstacle #2: Unrealistic Deadlines

One dieter said: " Every time I say I want to lose weight by a certain date or

event, I wind up not losing anything and sometimes gaining. That has been my

biggest downfall. "

How to jump the hurdle: The temptation to try to get to a certain weight in time

for an event such as a wedding or reunion is strong. But doing so, says Heller,

could set you up for failure. Not making your deadline could turn you off to

weight loss altogether. " Be patient with your body, " she says. " Set realistic

goals, then work hard to get to them. " Remember, reaching your weight goal will

feel just as great if it takes you longer to get there, and taking the time to

establish healthy habits will help you stay at your weight goal for life.

Common Obstacle #3: Temptation

One dieter said: " I used to say, before starting a diet, 'I'll never eat X

again' in order to lose weight. 'Never' is a long time, and restricting foods

from my diet just made me want to eat that restricted food even more! "

How to jump the hurdle: If you have favorite foods that are very high in

calories, and you really love them, deciding you'll never eat them again is a

recipe for disaster. Because then, when the temptation wins (and it probably

will), you'll feel as though you've failed. The trick is to find ways to fit the

food in without going off track. Look for low-fat versions, for example. Or

allow yourself an occasional splurge. " Just always understand the pros and cons

of eating whatever the food is, " says Heller, and plan accordingly.

Common Obstacle #4: The " Diet " Mentality

One dieter said: " When I think of weight loss as 'this is how I'm living my life

now,' instead of calling it a 'diet,' it is less overwhelming. Just 'something I

do.' Otherwise, I get hung up on 'I can't wait until I can eat X again.' "

How to jump the hurdle: " Something you do for a couple weeks to a month is not

going to change your life, " says Heller. Create habits that you know you'll be

able to keep up every day for the rest of your life, and, even if it's one habit

at a time, dedicate yourself to making the changes for good. This way, your

weight loss will be for good, too!

Common Obstacle #5: Plateaus

One dieter said: " When I read the stories of people who have been really

successful at this, they have hung on despite plateaus and gains. Being

impatient is probably my biggest mistake. "

How to jump the hurdle: " Understand that it's totally okay to reach a plateau in

your weight loss, " says Heller. The reasons could be your body's natural

reaction, or it could mean you've loosened up on the good habits you've

developed. Either way, break through by keeping at it and increasing your

exercise. Just be patient, and you will make your goal