Fitness Gear: Why You Might Be Losing the Battle of the Bulge

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Friday, July 25, 2008

Why You Might Be Losing the Battle of the Bulge

By Monica Ciociola

Who do you blame when your best-laid diet plans go awry? There are obvious culprits, like the 36-billion-dollar-a-year food industry that pushes us to eat more, eat on the go, and try all sorts of pseudofoods probably unrecognizable to our grandparents. Then, there are the more elusive saboteurs. Here are 5 ways to spot the signs of diet sabotage and avoid them!

You think that working out every day entitles you to eat as much as you want. Sorry, but it doesn't work like that. In your haste to pop in the Turbo Jam® DVDs, you may have missed the Turbo Jam fitness and nutrition guide. Now would be a good time to crack open the book to the "Diet" section. You'll be happy to learn that eating it up "Turbo Style" doesn't mean giving up the foods you love. Refer to Beachbody's popular Michi's Ladder as a helpful nutrition guideline.

You dropped 10 pounds in your first week and can't wait for your next Fatburger. While it's great to reward yourself for a job well done, if your ultimate goal is to lose weight, a place like Fatburger probably isn't the best choice. Instead, how about heading to the spa for a day of beauty or indulging in a not-so-naughty, low-calorie treat, like a cup of nonfat yogurt or a serving of your preferred nuts?

You hit your goal weight, and now you're feeling a little cocky. If you start to rest on your laurels and go back to your pre-Beachbody eating habits of pizza, fries, and soda, the pounds are bound to come right back. To really lose the weight for good, you'll need to change your eating habits and embrace a healthier lifestyle. The Message Boards are a great place to find the support you need to lead a fitter, healthier lifestyle.

You're ready for dessert, while the rest of the table is still working on their appetizers. All those nights of eating in front of the TV make it hard to remember that food should be eaten slowly and with pleasure. Inhaling your food doesn't give your stomach enough time to send the message to your brain that it's about to explode. So, if you're a fast eater, try to slow it down by eating with other people and taking a break for air, water, or conversation after each bite.

Dinner preparation consists of dialing your local Chinese restaurant. Having lived in NYC for 8 years with a kitchen the size of my mouse pad and every type of cuisine just a speed dial away, I picked up some pretty bad habits. The trouble with restaurants is that their entrees could feed a family of five (but yet they start to seem normal), and they sneak in extra oils, sauces, and dressings. Learn to prepare your own food in a way that's convenient for you, like washing all your lettuce, veggies, herbs, fish, and poultry on Sunday for the week ahead. You can also make vats of soup, pasta, and brown rice that you'll be able to microwave throughout the week.

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