Diet Delusions

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

09 May 2006 10:30 AM

Do you have diet delusions? According to a new book by Elizabeth Somer called 10 Habits That Mess Up A Woman's Diet - we're all delusional. I'm hoping she means that in a good way. Essentially, most of us claim that we eat healthy. Yet, statistics with regard to the overweight and obese tell a vastly different picture.

Somer calls dieting the American obsession; but women eat more calories than they think they do. Great, I love hearing that I am not doing what I think I am doing and I'm actually doing worse than I thought I was. Not quite the way to start the week, hence why we're talking about this on today. (Cause it's Tuesday - eh - never mind)

Anyway, Somer's terrible ten is a list of bad habits that she wants you to kick to the curb. If you kick these ten bad habits, then you are sure to drop the pounds.

Well, two pluses right here - a guarantee and a list.

SO what are Somer's Terrible Ten?

• Mind Over Matter - Don't eat mindlessly, it matters! Don't finish off your kid's last two bites, leave your husband's dessert alone, don't keep sampling the dinner while you are cooking it and leave the candy on your co-worker's desk alone. There's a lot of calories pack into these tiny mouthfuls.
• Needs versus Desire - Why do their needs outweigh your desires? In other words, if you like vegetables, add them to every meal. Your husband and kids need those too and no matter what they say, no one needs a French fry.
• Be honest - So you ate an extra Krispy Kreme and you skimped ten minutes off the cardio, just talking about the extra minutes doesn't really give your workout a boost. By the way, do you have any idea of what portion sizing from the USDA really is?
• Broccoli, Peas, Carrots and Beets Oh My! - Somer's book states pretty categorically that if you just double up on the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat right now, you'll be on your way to a good diet. Of course, if you don't eat any fruits and vegetables, you'll need to add them rather than multiply them. (Math 101, any number multiplied with 0 just gets you a 0 result)
• What's life without a plan or a list? - If you've ever gone grocery shopping without a list, you tend to overbuy what you don't need and forget to buy what you do. Eating and exercising are the same way - a food diary that tracks what you eat and when you eat it can help you stick to your dietary goals
• Don't Make Excuses - Your thyroid is probably dysfunctional, your metabolism is just slow, you really can't squeeze out another extra minute, we've got too much to do today - change your outlook, change your attitude and make plans, not excuses. If you make weight loss a priority it will happen.
• Don't substitute Hershey's for real hugs and kisses - When we're down and depressed, we indulge - it's called using food for comfort and it's one of the largest diet delusions we all cling to.
• TANSTAAFL - There ain't no such thing as a free lunch - the quick fix fad diets don't work - you may lose a few pounds right off the bat, but we gain it all back the minute we come off the diet - besides, most of those fads are just plain unhealthy (and wow, who wants to eat Cabbage six times a day?)
• Water versus Soda - No matter what the can says, water is still better. Limit your soda intake and you'll limit the extra calories you consume.
• One Oops and You Fall Off the Wagon - Just because you had some fries doesn't mean you've blown it. Setbacks should just challenge you to keep going forward, instead of giving up altogether. If you let a little thing like a slip bug you when you were learning how to walk, chances are you'd still be crawling. Learning to eat healthy is the same thing.

All in all, I liked Somer's book - it's pretty down to earth. She points out a few uncomfortable truths and she does it in a pretty straightforward manner. I'm glad I decided to check out 10 Habits That Mess Up A Woman's Diet - now if you'll excuse me, I need to go and forgive myself for the diet soda I'm about to drink.

By the way, in all seriousness, if you really enjoy your sodas and the like - try drinking a half a glass of water before you get your soda. It will cut down on the amount of soda you drink and may even satisfy your thirst enough that you end up not wanting the soda to begin with.

Related Articles:

Warning Signs of Bad Nutrition

Foods to Avoid When Trying to Lose Weight

Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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