yum.
…Sounds like a title on Cosmo or Shape … alas, it’s not. Just a nothing-to-do-with-saving-money blog post. More like saving- your-sanity-and-being-happy post. I am by no means a nutritionist or a doctor. Just a very, very experienced person in this area. I’ve yo-yoed everywhere from 110 – 190 (I’m 5’7″ if you were wondering). I was 110 in high school (but ran track and cross-country) and 190 (during a very depressed phase in my life, and again after I had my second child). I’m slowly starting my weight loss journey again (today is the first ironically enough)…
If you’re anything like me, you love your pop. Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper (and their diet counterparts) are staples in your house, and you always make sure that there is plenty of room in the fridge to keep them cold. Add to that the excitement you get when you find coupons for your fave brand and it’s all over.
Well, I’m trying to change that, OSAAT (one step at a time, by weaning myself off) … While I don’t smoke, I can only imagine how hard it is to quit; the liquid counterpart acts as a drug and comforts me in times of need. Thristy? Pop. Hot? Pop. You know how it goes. But, unfortunately, we all know that this habit is extremely unhealthy, and is right up there on my 5 Diet Mistakes You Could Be Making (and how to avoid them):
1) Diet Soda – Think you’re doing you’re body good by substituting your regular fare for it’s sugar-free cousin? Think again. Diet sodas still have sodium, which cause you to feel weighed down and bloated. Plus, they have artificial sweeteners added – do I even need to tell you anything fake you put in your body is, well … not good? And, get this – according to an EatingWell 10 year study, people who drank two or more diet drinks a day had a larger waist circumference than those who did not. Yikes!
2) Low-Calorie Dieting – Think you’ll lose weight FAST and keep it off in the long-run by severely limiting your caloric intake? No, you won’t. Instead, you’ll deplete your body of vital nutrients it needs to keep going. By only eating low calorie foods all day, you won’t have as much energy as you would if you were eating a sensible diet (staying away from heavy carbs and junk food, skipping the soda…). Plus, research (and my own previous experience) has shown that one who barely eats ends up ravenous and may overeat when they “give in” to that one piece of cake, or seconds of that yummy pasta-bake …
3) Lack of Sleep – Your body needs to recover from the everyday craziness of life. The longer you’re awake, the more hungry you’ll feel, and the more calories you’ll consume. Ever wonder why Taco Bell calls it the “fourth meal …?”
4) Not Exercising – So you think you can lose 20 pounds by doing Weight Watchers or some other diet program without any exercise? Most likely you can, if you haven’t had children (not me) and you’re still in your twenties (not me). Again, experience. When I was younger, I would restrict my calories and could lose 1 pound a day, sans working out. Fast forward post two kids and into my thirties, I’m lucky to eat right and lose 1 pound a week. While the experts agree that losing 1-2 pounds a week is healthy, just think how much faster you’d lose weight if you included a workout regime? You might be pleasantly surprised 
5) Cutting Out All Fats – Wouldn’t that be nice? Just eat yummy, all-you-can-eat fat-free foods and lose weight and keep it off… I wish. That’s what I thought in high school when I begged my Mom to buy me those fat-free Snackwell’s Devil’s Food Cookies (irony check: “Devil’s” food). I would eat 4 at a time and think, “These are so healthy!” Little did I pay attention to the sugar info. And the calories – because those add up. Just by cutting out “fat” doesn’t mean instant-success to weight loss. You need to eat “healthy fats” to keep your metabolism revved and provide your body protein, which in turn gives you energy to burn the fat. Think avocados, peanuts, and fish!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Triwest – On a Mission to Serve. The opinions expressed in this post, however, are solely my own. I am not a doctor, a nurse, a nutritionist; rather, a regular, everyday gal trying to lose weight. Please consult your doctor when starting your own weight loss plan
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