If “shed some pounds” is on your resolution list for next year, you’re certainly not the only one. But are you doing all you can to achieve your goals, or are you inadvertently sabotaging them? Take this recent finding, for instance: A study from Cornell University researchers showed that going more than a week without stepping on the scale led to dieters
gaining weight, while more frequent weigh-ins were associated with losing weight.
“Often people
think they’re doing the right thing (i.e. not weighing themselves daily) but they may actually be making a mistake that prevents weight loss,” study author Brian Wansink, PhD, director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab and author of “Slim By Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life,” tells Yahoo Health
.
Are you making other weight-loss mistakes without even realizing it? We asked the experts to share some of the most common diet trip-ups — and how to avoid them.
Mistake No. 1: Thinking Fat-Free = Automatically Healthy
Foods touting their fat-free status may be free of, well, fat, but that doesn’t make them good for your weight-loss efforts. “Many fat-free foods contain lots of sugar to make up for the taste of the missing fat, so they can be high in calories,” Lisa R. Young, PhD, RD, adjunct professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University and author of “The Portion Teller: Smartsize Your Way to Permanent Weight Loss,” tells Yahoo Health.Plus, these foods may not satisfy your hunger — so you tend to eat more of them. A better bet? Stick to a small portion of the real thing (with fat) and savor every bite.
