Get Honest Yourself...

Sometimes we fall into the trap of thinking we are doing everything right – and WE STILL CAN’T LOSE WEIGHT.

Let’s face it.  It’s hard to eat right all the time, day in and day out to get the results we want.  And sometimes we make excuses or justify our choices even though we know deep down it’s probably not the right choice. If we get honest with ourselves and really examine our daily habits, we can uncover some areas where we know we can do better.

1.  It’s quinoa, I can have as much as I want.

Nuts, whole wheat pasta, quinoa, avocado and dark chocolate are natural and healthy – but they are not without calories.  A handful of nuts is a healthy choice, but do you stop at one handful?  An avocado has tons of health benefits but contains over 200 calories per fruit. How many times have you eaten the entire fruit? Do your homework on the healthy foods you are consuming and understand what constitutes a serving.

2.  I parked at the far end of the mall parking lot.

While this is a good strategy to get some healthy steps in your day, this does not count as your workout for the day and you know it!  Get out and sweat for at least 30 minutes and burn some serious calories.

3.  Working out on an empty stomach will burn more fat.

A recent research study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports shows that doing so burns calories from muscle, not fat.  Since muscle burns more calories than fat, the more muscle mass you have the better it is for weight loss.  Plus, eating before your workout will give you more energy to push yourself through a great sweat session!

4.  I had ice cream, but it was low fat!

You are deceiving yourself thinking that low fat, low sugar or sugar free foods are helping you lose weight.  They are often filled with extra sodium, sugar and chemicals to enhance the flavor and leave you feeling less than satisfied and hungry for more which may lead to over indulging.  Sometimes we’re better off having a small portion of the “real thing” and moving on.

5.  I just had a handful – it doesn’t count.

A handful of what, and how many times during the day did you have a handful? If you stop and think about the calories in that small portion and multiply it by the 4 or 5 times you consumed that handful in a day, it could easily add up to several hundred extra calories.  You have a craving for some chocolate, so you decide to have a tablespoon of chocolate chips which contains 70 calories.  Can you stop at one?  You dip into that bag 3 or 4 times a day and you’ve got almost 300 extra calories.  If you bite it, write it!  Honest food logging is a valuable tool to weight loss- holding you accountable to every bite of food.  Just because it wasn’t part of your meal, doesn’t’ mean it shouldn’t count towards your total caloric intake for the day.

So if you find yourself frustrated with weight loss – take a long, hard look at your daily habits.  We can all find an area for improvement.  Don’t kid yourself, and soon you’ll be on the fast track to healthy weight loss and achieving your goal.  Honesty is the best policy.

-Author Coach Sue Derr

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