Avoid Diet Roadblocks
Avoid Diet Roadblocks
Provided by Women's Health
Dieting is complicated: There are even ways to screw up without realizing it. For instance, who would ever think that working out in the a.m. or cranking the AC might be the reason you're not slimming down? Luckily, once you've I.D.'d these flubs, fixing them is nowhere near as hard as pulling on a pair of control-top hose.
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Roadblock #1 You crank the AC
What's wrong with that? In a study published in Physiology & Behavior, researchers found that exposure to temperatures above the "thermoneutral zone"-the artificial climate we create with clothes, heating, or air conditioning-decreases our appetite and food intake. "At a slightly uncomfortable 81 degrees, the women in the study experienced a 20 percent decrease in appetite and ate 10 percent less than at 72 degrees," says lead author Margriet S. Westerterp-Plantenga, Ph.D., a professor of food-intake regulation in the department of human biology at Maastricht University in the Netherlands.
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Detour Instead of cranking the air conditioner every time you feel a little warm, learn to endure slightly steamier conditions. Hitting the "off" button is well worth a little discomfort if it helps you lose the saddlebags.
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Roadblock #2 Always a go-getter, you work out at 6 a.m.
What's wrong with that? Morning workouts are great-if you go to bed at 10 p.m. In a recent study in the American Journal of Epidemiology, women who slept 7 or more hours a night were less likely to put on weight than women who didn't. Those who slept only 6 hours a night were 12 percent more likely to gain substantial weight-33 pounds on average over the course of 16 years! (Women who slept a measly 5 hours had a 32 percent chance of gaining 30 or more pounds.) Other studies have linked lack of sleep to a higher BMI and have found that it negatively affects levels of the appetite-regulating hormones ghrelin and leptin.
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Detour Don't sacrifice your snooze time-not even for an extra-long run. And quality matters more than quantity, so taking a siesta later won't help. "In a 20-minute power nap you don't get into the deep-sleep stage," says Donna Taliaferro, Ph.D., associate professor of nursing at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, who conducts research on sleep and circadian rhythms. "You need to go through the cycles of sleep over a few hours to get the restorative rest that allows your body to work properly." Bottom line: You're better off sleeping through your workout every other day than stumbling to a sunrise Pilates class on too few z's.
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Roadblock #3 You're a teetotaler (or a sot!)
What's wrong with that? Alcohol may not be the diet kryptonite you thought it was. Recent research showed that those who have a single drink a couple times a week have a lower risk of becoming obese than either teetotalers or heavy drinkers. Those who consume more than four drinks daily, on the other hand, boost their odds of obesity by 46 percent.
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Detour Go ahead and have a drink; just avoid belly-busters like a 245-calorie pina colada. Instead, raise a glass of heart-smart merlot (123 calories per 5 ounces), Bud Light (110 calories per 12 ounces), champagne (88 calories per 4 ounces), or sake (39 calories per ounce). Or mix a 100-calorie cocktail, like vodka and diet tonic or tequila and club soda. "Just make sure you drink it with some healthy food, such as raw veggies with low-fat dip or whole-wheat pita and hummus," advises Dawn Jackson Blatner, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Eating slows the rise of alcohol in your blood -- and cuts the odds you'll drunk-order the deep-fried mozzarella sticks.
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Roadblock #4 You log extra miles on the treadmill to make up for giant meals
What's wrong with that? When it comes to dieting, success isn't 90 percent perspiration. You can't achieve lasting weight loss via exercise alone. But a new study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that dieting can shrink your fat zones just as effectively as dieting plus exercise.
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Detour If you try the diet-only approach, you need a clear idea of how much you should be eating. Multiply your weight by 10, then add your weight again to that sum: That gives you the number of calories you need to maintain your current weight without activity. For example, 135 pounds x 10 = 1,350 135 = 1,485 calories. Eat more than that regularly, and your "loose-fit" pants won't anymore; eat less, and your muffin top will start melting away. But not so fast-before you burn your gym membership, read on about sarcopenia.
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Roadblock #5 You ignore sarcopenia
What's wrong with that? Sarcopenia, in case you weren't paying attention to your medical TV dramas, is age-related muscle loss-and it can start in your 30s. If you don't take action now, you could begin to lose as much as 1 to 2 percent of your muscle mass by the time you hit 50. Less muscle means you burn fewer calories and store more of them as fat.
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8 comments
Fishybzness 01:25:32 AM Nov 22 2008
"But a new study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that dieting can shrink your fat zones just as effectively as dieting plus exercise."Maybe I'm just crazy, but i always learned that DIET alone can't keep the pounds off. You will normally crash on your diet, and besides, exercise boosts your energy level, lowers your blood pressure, and generally makes you a happier person. And that weight you lose cutting calories isnt necessarily fat. THINK HEALTHY, PEOPLE!
Mnshine17 01:43:38 AM Nov 17 2008
I have 4 kids and have always gained 45 lbs with them during pregnancy and have always lost the weight. I am not a skinny minnie and it doesnt fall off during breastfeeding. I have to work at it and I'll tell you, A.m. is better than p.m. If you work out in the A.m. then you have all day to think, well I can't eat that cause I worked so hard this morning but if you work out in the P.m. then you eat all kinds of crap thinking well I can eat this cause I am gonna work it off later. It is a good psychological way to put things. Basically when eating junk food, I just remembered that if I wanted something BAD, then I could eat no more than three bites and I have to drink a large glass of water afterwards. After awhile, when I got tired of the water stealing the lasting flavor I gave up on sweets.
Coldheartedrose 11:55:18 PM Nov 16 2008
i agree whats up with Here's how it can save (the shape of) your own ass, too????? i know its not a big deal but, for a sie that never uses words like that its kinda bad........
Jhawk Fitness 11:18:51 PM Nov 16 2008
As a professional strength coach, I need to say, those behind-the-neck pulldowns pictured in the articles are a horrible exercise to expose people to, especially older individuals. It stresses and injures the shoulder and rotator cuff complex more than it strengthens the back. The exercises should be performed as a vertical pull down towards the collarbone, not behind the neck.
FLIRT57302 08:50:21 PM Nov 16 2008
Here's how it can save (the shape of) your own ass, too: I have to be honest I was very offended by this, there are several other ways than to be this blunt about it... I know mostly adults only read about diets but I found it offensive to curse in somethink like this not to mention its absolutely unprofessional.. D- AOL you guys and the world is getting worse by the minute
RhiJFNo1 08:21:20 PM Nov 16 2008
yea all that is basic knowledge that everyone should know. Eat less exercise more. eat the "right" foods. They have been trying to push potassium on everyone since the whole japan banana diet became big. What they fail to mention is that too much potassium can make you really sick and if your potassium levels aren't lowered in a certain amount of time. You can die from having too much potassium. I have been sick from having too much potassium and it is not walk in the park. Yes you may loose weight but that is because you aren't able to keep any food down.
TXLESA1 12:26:24 PM Nov 15 2008
hat's wrong with that? Al Gore wants you to lay off the thermostat to save the planet. Here's how it can save (the shape of) your own ass, too:Since when is there slang like above used in what one would think is a professional writing. Come on folks does everything have to be so crude to make a point.
waagtod 10:20:26 AM Nov 15 2008
Your conclusion is flawed! You put forward that exercise in the AM is bad for losing weight because you will get less sleep and that leads to weight gain.Did the study involved differenciate between those that get exercise in the AM and those that don't?If not, then you can't draw that conclusion.Maybe some people that can't get enough sleep don't have the enery level to exercise at all and that brings the whole group down in terms of weight loss.Many studies are twisted to find the answers to questions that weren't asked in the study, thur rendering those conclusions flawed.
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