A healthy diet is full of pitfalls. Be on the lookout! Here is more.
Mistake 1. You don't follow your portion size
Many people believe that if the product is healthy, then you can eat it in unlimited quantities. This is a big mistake. Even healthy foods like cereals, whole grains, pasta, or sugary fruits that are eaten without restriction can completely undermine your efforts.
How to fix
- Buy a kitchen scale, and weigh all the foods you consume.
- Download a calorie counting app or keep a diary to stay within your daily intake.
- Please be aware that packages and charts indicate calories per 100 grams of unprocessed food, and dry/raw and finished foods can vary widely. Therefore, either weigh the food before cooking or look for finished foods in the calorie tables.
Read also: Health Benefits of Organic Food
Mistake 2. You do not take into account the calorie content of the sauce
Many people who lose weight assume that a small amount of sauce does not significantly increase the calorie content. In fact, commercial sauces are usually very high in calories and fatty: they contain about 30 grams of fat and more than 300 kilocalories per 100 grams. By adding 30 grams of sauce to a dish, you consume 90 calories, most of which are saturated fat.
How to fix
- Replace store-bought sauces with natural spices. This will reduce the calorie content of your meals without compromising their taste.
- If you cannot refuse sauces, proceed from the principle of lesser evil: instead of ketchup, buy natural tomato paste, and replace mayonnaise with a sauce of white yogurt and mustard.
Mistake 3. You prefer low-fat foods
Low-fat dairy and fermented milk products not only do not help you lose weight but also force you to consume more calories. Recent research by Food & Brand Lab found that the 0% fat label on the packaging forces consumers to eat more food and average 84 kilocalories more than normal fat foods.
Also, low-fat foods do not give a feeling of fullness, and their vitamins and minerals are absorbed much worse. As a result, you are not getting any benefit, and after a short time, you are hungry again.
How to fix
- Buy dairy products with medium fat content.
- Count not only calories but also protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
- Read labels carefully: Some low-fat foods have added sugar to improve flavor, increasing their calorie content.
Mistake 4. Do you prefer fried foods
The vegetable oil used in the frying process greatly increases the calorie content of the dish.
How to fix
- Use other cooking methods: bake food in the oven, steam it.
- Buy a nonstick skillet that allows you to fry without adding oil.
- If you use oil for frying, do not pour it into the pan from a bottle, but brush the surface with a brush.
Also read: Couscous: A Superfood You Can Make in Minutes
Mistake 5. You are eating too many healthy sweets.
It is often advised to replace sweets and cookies with healthier snacks such as nuts and dried fruits. Yes, they contain much more nutrients, but there are also a lot of calories. For example, a 30-gram serving of walnuts has 196 kilocalories, and the same amount of dates has 80 kilocalories.
How to fix
- Move the plate of dried fruit and nuts out of sight.
- Before grabbing a healthy snack, measure out a portion, weigh it, and count the calories.
Switch to a healthy diet, and do not let mistakes and illusions negate all your efforts.
Adapted and translated by The Cop Cart Staff
Sources: Life hacker
