The 8 biggest nutrition mistakes

Can't shed pounds no matter how hard you try? Here are some surprising reasons—and easy solutions—Nutrition

Shape, June 2003
MINDY HERMANN

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Think your eating habits are too cool for school? It may be time for a refresher course! Here are eight common nutrition mistakes that could be coming between you and your favorite pair of jeans.

1. You have calorie amnesia

Research shows that many of us forget what we eat during the day or turn a blind eye to anything we don't actually see in our food (secret sauces, added fat and sugar and calories we sip instead of chew). Many of us also blank out on calories we chow down at parties, leftovers inhaled while standing in front of the fridge and entire meals eaten on airplanes. But the body never lies, and lost calories eventually surface where even the most forgetful of us can't ignore them: on our butts, abs and thighs.

"I once followed someone around for a day and was amazed at how much she forgot she ate, like the crust of the sandwich she was making for her son and the edge that she cut off the pan of brownies," says Ann Litt, M.S., R.D., L.D., a nutritionist in Bethesda, Md., and author of The College Student's Guide to Eating Well on Campus (Tulip Hill Press, 2000). "Too many nibbles and sips can quickly add up to a whole meal if you're not careful."

2. You're experiencing double-digit expansion

It's easy to gain 5 pounds in a flash -- but it's also relatively easy to lose them: You can shed them in about a month without making major adjustments in your daily caloric intake. To lose 1 pound, all you have to do is eliminate 3,500 calories -- either by consuming fewer calories or by exercising more to increase calories burned. By cutting a modest 500 calories a day, you can shed a pound a week, or about 4 pounds a month.

But gain 10 pounds or more and you're going to need to make a bigger commitment to weight loss. You'll have to accept the fact that it's going to take at least two months to shed the excess weight or else you'll have to cut even more calories per day and/or further increase your exercise -- not necessarily a realistic scenario.

To nip pounds in the butt (or abs or thighs), make a weekly contract with yourself, suggests Dawn Jackson, R.D., a Chicago-based spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. Keep a food diary to track calories and emotional eating, and weigh yourself at the same time each week. Even better, get regular body-fat checks once a month. By reviewing your progress regularly and making small, doable adjustments to your eating plan and exercise regimen, the next time you step on the scale you won't wonder if your dog climbed on with you.

3. You didn't plan ahead

It's normal to get hungry, so instead of denying this fact of nature, plan ahead for times when you know hunger is bound to strike. Otherwise, you're likely to lose control and eat too much of the wrong things. "Never go more than four to five hours without eating," says Evelyn Tribole, R.D., a nutrition consultant in Irvine, Calif. "Bring lunch to work if the cafeteria food is lousy, and pack healthy snacks (fresh fruit, nonfat yogurt, nuts) you can eat in the car or at your desk," she says.

4. You have too many foods on your hit list

Kudos to you if you hold the mayo. But some women go overboard with blacklisting foods and cut entire categories from their diets -- dairy, carbs and "high GI" (glycemic index) foods like carrots and beets -- because some fad diet says they're a culprit in weight gain.

"You can't look at foods individually," says Dayle Hayes, M.S., R.D., a nutrition consultant in Billings, Mont., and member of the Council for Women's Nutrition Solutions. "Any time you eliminate whole food groups or foods that are a major part of your diet, you wipe out important nutrients." For instance, if you dis dairy, you zap a great source of protein. If you turn your nose up at high-fat fish like salmon, sardines and herring, you eliminate a top source of omega-3 fatty acids.

"The 'bad food list' is one of the oldest gimmicks in the world of fad dieting," adds Robyn Flipse, RD., a nutrition consultant in Ocean, N.J. "As long as people can blame certain foods or food combinations for their excess weight, they don't have to tackle the bigger issues, like planning, shopping and preparing meals for themselves and doing some form of physical activity on a regular basis," she says.

5. You went vegetarian just to get skinny

Think cutting out meat will zap fat and make pounds vamoose? Think again. While there are many great health reasons to go vegetarian, weight loss isn't one of them. Why? Most women who eliminate meat don't lose weight because they weren't eating that much of it to begin with, Flipse says.

In fact, many "instant vegetarians" actually gain weight because they replace meat with heaping piles of pasta and rice -- foods that more than make up for meat calories without providing protein's staying power. Becoming a healthy vegetarian takes more than swapping out T-bones for tofu or stocking the fridge with baby carrots. It's a learning process that includes creating new shopping, cooking and eating habits to ensure that you get the complete proteins provided in meat from the right combination of plant foods.

For a smooth transition, invest in a few vegetarian cookbooks, and consider taking a vegetarian-cooking class and consulting with a nutritionist for a healthful eating plan that satisfies your taste buds and covers your nutritional bases.

6. You cut out all the fat

Experts agree a lowfat diet is still a great way to shed pounds. But recent research shows that eating a little more healthful (mostly monounsaturated) fat, in combination with a diet rich in fiber and lean protein, actually can help you lose weight by keeping you full longer and making it easier to stick to your weight-loss program, says Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., R.D., distinguished professor of nutrition at Pennsylvania State University in University Park Enjoy controlled portions of fatty foods like avocados, olive oil, salmon and nuts and you may find it easier than ever to shed pounds.

7. You're stuck on rerun meals

You wouldn't watch the same episode of Survivor week after week. Yet when it comes to your diet, you eat the same "safe," low-calorie foods (yogurt for breakfast, a salad for lunch, grilled chicken breast for dinner) every single day. But too little variety can deprive you of valuable phytochemicals and nutrients, Ann Litt says. Plus, eating a carbon-copy diet can lead to burnout, food cravings, bingeing -- and weight gain.

"In time, the few foods you're eating will no longer be satisfying and you'll find yourself starting to eat larger portions or adding impulse foods that push up your calories," Litt says.

The only exception to the "same ol'" rule is breakfast, Evelyn Tribole says. "It's important to have a balanced, hassle-free meal you can put together in the morning practically with your eyes closed," she says. To avoid a.m. apathy, try mixing and matching a few of your favorite high-fiber cereals with a variety of fruits and different flavors of yogurt, she says.

8. You're a pie-in-the-sky dieter

Having a goal to eat healthfully and lose weight is all well and good. But unless it's proactive and personalized, even the best-intentioned eating plan is destined to fail, Hayes says.

To keep it real, take a close look at your life and figure out what will and won't work for you. Too busy to cook meals during the week? Set aside one morning to shop and prepare meals you can enjoy the entire week. Spend a lot of time on the road? Devise calorie-saving strategies that are simple and flexible, like going online before leaving home to case out the healthy-restaurant scene at your destination, Tribole says, and consistently cutting your portions in half when you eat out.

Mindy Hermann, RD., is a nutritionist and frequent Shape contributor based in Mount Kisco, N.Y.