Day 148- 20 Habits that Make you Fat, by the Eat This, Not That Creators

Here is a great article from the Men’s Health creators of “Eat this, Not that!” I don’t always agree with what they have to say, but I like the bad habits that they bring up in this article:

Decades ago, around the time of Steven Tyler's last haircut, a completely wrong-headed idea started being passed around America's dinner tables: Eating fat makes you fat.

Wrong. Eating fat won’t make you fat, any more than eating money will make you rich. Calories make you fat, and most “low-fat” or “fat-free” foods actually have just as many calories as their full-fat versions, because of added sugar and chemicals. And there’s no debate on this one: Since we made “cut down on fat” our favorite food craze roughly 30 years ago, the U.S. obesity rate has doubled. Among children, it has tripled. That’s a failed food policy if ever there was one.

But it’s just one of many “get fat” habits that can be turned into a “slim-down” habit, starting today. All you need is a pinch of resolve and a few new routines. Here are the 20 habits you can replace right now, compliments of the Eat This, Not That! No-Diet Diet.

FAT HABIT #1: Eating "low-fat"
It sounds crazy, but I want you to stop buying foods marketed as low-fat or fat-free. Typically, they save you only a few calories and, in doing so, they replace harmless fats with low-performing carbohydrates that digest quickly—causing a sugar rush and, immediately afterward, rebound hunger. Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that meals that limited carbohydrates to 43 percent were more filling and had a milder effect on blood sugar than meals with 55 percent carbohydrates. That means you’ll store less body fat and be less likely to eat more later. Read my blog on fad diets.

FAT HABIT #2: Not seeking nutrition advice
Good news here: By reading this, you’re already forming habits that can help you shed pounds. When Canadian researchers sent diet and exercise advice to more than 1,000 people, they found that the recipients began eating smarter and working more physical activity into their daily routines. Not surprisingly, the habits of the non-recipients didn’t budge.

FAT HABIT #3: Sleeping too little or too much
According to Wake Forest researchers, dieters who sleep five hours or less put on 2½ times more belly fat, while those who sleep more than eight hours pack on only slightly less than that. Shoot for an average of six to seven hours of sleep per night—the optimal amount for weight control.

FAT HABIT #4: Eating free restaurant foods
Breadsticks, biscuits, and chips and salsa may be complimentary at some restaurants, but that doesn’t mean you won’t pay for them. Every time you eat one of Olive Garden's free breadsticks or Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits, you're adding an additional 150 calories to your meal. Eat three over the course of dinner and that's 450 calories. That's also roughly the number of calories you can expect for every basket of tortilla chips you get at your local Mexican restaurant. What's worse, none of these calories comes paired with any redeeming nutritional value. Consider them junk food on steroids.

FAT HABIT #5: Drinking soda—even diet!
The average American guzzles nearly a full gallon of soda every week. Why is that so bad? Because a 2005 study found that drinking one to two sodas per day increases your chances of being overweight or obese by nearly 33 percent. And diet soda is no better. When researchers in San Antonio tracked a group of elderly subjects for nearly a decade, they found that compared to nondrinkers, those who drank two or more diet sodas a day watched their waistlines increase five times faster. The researchers theorize that the artificial sweeteners trigger appetite cues, causing you to unconsciously eat more at subsequent meals. Read my blog on diet soda for more information.

FAT HABIT #6: Skipping meals
In a 2011 national survey from the Calorie Control Council, 17 percent of Americans admitted to skipping meals to lose weight. The problem is, skipping meals actually increases your odds of obesity, especially when it comes to breakfast. A study from the American Journal of Epidemiology found that people who cut out the morning meal were 4.5 times more likely to be obese. Why? Skipping meals slows your metabolism and boosts your hunger. That puts your body in prime fat-storage mode and increases your odds of overeating at the next meal. I have stressed the importance of not skipping meals many of times, read my blog on this subject here.

FAT HABIT #7: Eating too quickly
If your body has one major flaw, this is it: It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it’s had enough. A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that slow eaters took in 66 fewer calories per meal, but compared to their fast-eating peers, they felt like they had eaten more. What’s 66 calories, you ask? If you can do that at every meal, you’ll lose more than 20 pounds a year!

FAT HABIT #8: Watching too much TV
A University of Vermont study found that overweight participants who reduced their TV time by just 50 percent burned an additional 119 calories a day on average. That’s an automatic 12-pound annual loss! Maximize those results by multitasking while you watch—even light household tasks will further bump up your caloric burn. Plus, if your hands are occupied with dishes or laundry, you’ll be less likely to mindlessly snack—the other main occupational hazard associated with tube time.

FAT HABIT #9: Ordering the combo meal
A study in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing shows that compared to ordering a la carte, you pick up a hundred or more extra calories by opting for the “combo” or “value meal." Why? Because when you order items bundled together, you're likely to buy more food than you want. You're better off ordering your food piecemeal. That way you won't be influenced by pricing schemes designed to hustle a few more cents out of your pocket.

FAT HABIT #10: Facing the buffet
Cornell researchers found that when eating at a buffet-style restaurant, obese diners were 15 percent more likely to choose seats with a clear view of the food. Your move: Choose a seat that places your back toward the spread. It will help you avoid fixating on the food.

FAT HABIT #11: Eating off larger plates
One study found that when given an option, a whopping 98.6 percent of obese individuals opt for larger plates. Translation: More food, more calories, and more body fat. Keep your portions in check by choosing smaller serving dishes. If need be, you can always go back for seconds.

FAT HABIT #12: Putting serving dishes on the table
Resist setting out foods buffet- or family-style, and opt instead to serve them from the kitchen. A study in the journal Obesity found that when food is served from the dinner table, people consume 35 percent more over the course of the meal. When an additional helping requires leaving the table, people hesitate to go back for more.

FAT HABIT #13: Choosing white bread
A study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when obese subjects incorporated whole grains into their diets, they lost more abdominal fat over the course of 12 weeks. There are likely multiple factors at play, but the most notable is this: Whole grain foods pack in more fiber and an overall stronger nutritional package than their refined-grain counterparts. Read my blog on my view on carbohydrates.

FAT HABIT #14: Taking big bites
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who took large bites of food consumed 52 percent more calories in one sitting than those who took small bites and chewed longer. By cutting food into smaller pieces, you can increase satiety and enjoy your food more thoroughly. A good general rule? The smaller your bites, the thinner your waistline.

FAT HABIT #15: Not drinking enough water
Adequate water intake is essential for all your body’s functions, and the more you drink, the better your chances of staying thin. In one University of Utah study, dieting participants who were instructed to drink two cups of water before each meal lost 30 percent more weight than their thirsty peers. And you can magnify the effect by adding ice. German researchers found that six cups of cold water a day could prompt a metabolic boost that incinerates 50 daily calories. That’s enough to shed five pounds a year!

FAT HABIT #16: Having overweight friends
Research from the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that when a friend becomes obese, it ups your chance of obesity by 57 percent. This probably has to do with the social norms that you’re exposed to. Rather than ditch a friend who starts to put on a few extra pounds though, suggest healthy activities that you can do together, and avoid letting him or her dictate the meal (“Let’s split the cheesecake!”)

FAT HABIT #17: Eating too late
Your body can burn flab while you sleep, but only if it isn't too busy processing a full stomach. A new study in the journal Obesity looked at the sleeping and eating habits of 52 people over seven days, and it found that those who ate after 8 p.m. took in the most daily calories and had the highest BMIs.

FAT HABIT #18: Not using a scale
Looking at your body weight reinforces weight-loss goals and makes it difficult to cheat your diet. When University of Minnesota researchers observed dieters who weighed themselves daily, they discovered that the routine of stepping on a scale helped those people lose twice as much weight as those who weighed themselves less frequently. Avoid being thrown of by natural fluctuations in body weight by stepping onto the scale at the same time every day. View my blog on scales and weight for my response to this.

FAT HABIT #19: Drinking fruity beverages
Most restaurants and bars have ditched their fresh-fruit recipes in favor of viscous syrups made mostly from high fructose corn syrup and thickening agents. As a general rule, the more garnishes a drink has hanging from its rim, the worse it is for your waistline. Read my blog on healthier alcoholic beverages.

FAT HABIT #20: Eating when emotional
A study from the University of Alabama found that emotional eaters—those who admitted eating in response to emotional stress—were 13 times more likely to be overweight or obese. If you feel the urge to eat in response to stress, try chewing a piece of gum, chugging a glass of water, or taking a walk around the block. Create an automatic response that doesn't involve food and you'll prevent yourself from overloading on calories. View my blog on emotional eating.

Pura Vida!

Alica Ryan, NTP

Day 72- 7 Worst Supermarket Breakfasts

My friend sent me over an article from Men's Health, talking about the 7 worst supermarket breakfasts. As many of you are aware, Men's Health always features a "Eat This, Not that," article in every issue, which was basically what this article was doing as well. To make the "Eat This" options even healthier I have added my own opinions to each of the 7 worst supermarket breakfasts. Plus as you may already know, I am pretty adamant about the importance of eating breakfast in the morning, and more importantly the types of food that you choose to eat for breakfast.

Article written by David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding

Eat This, Not That

#7: WORST HOT CEREAL
Nature's Path Organic Instant Hot Oatmeal, Apple Cinnamon (1 packet)
210 calories
2.5 g fat (0 g saturated)
14 g sugar

Nature's Path attributes its sweetness to "organic evaporated cane juice." Translation: sugar. Each packet in the box contains as much sugar as a scoop of Edy's Espresso Chip ice cream. We commend the 4 grams of fiber, but you shouldn't have to take in a dessert's load of candy sweetness to get it. Switch to Kashi GoLean Instant Hot Cereal instead. You get more fiber (7 grams), and you cut your sugar load by more than half. Or try my suggestion, and try Bob's Red Mill, Mighty Tasty GF Hot Cereal, which contains no sugar, is gluten free, and contains the same amount of calories as the Kashi GoLean.

Eat This Instead!
Kashi GoLean Instant Hot Cereal, Truly Vanilla (1 packet)
150 calories
2 g fat
6 g sugar

An Even Healthier Option:

Bob's Red Mill, Mighty Tasty Gluten-free Hot Cereal (1/4 cup)

150 Calories

1.5 g fat (0 g saturated)

5 g fiber 0 g sugars

#6: WORST BREAKFAST MEAT
Banquet Brown ‘N Serve Maple Sausage Links (3 links)
210 calories
19 g fat (6 g saturated)
520 mg sodium

This truly is the weakest link. Three measly logs of sausage aren't are going to do much for your appetite, but they are going to stuff your belly with 19 grams of animal fat. Add that to your daily breakfast and you'll gain 22 pounds in a year. Switch to the turkey version and you'll cut your calories by nearly half, plus take in less fat, saturated fat, and sodium. Or try my suggestion and go with Applegate farms chicken and turkey sausage, which provides all organic and natural meat and ingredients. All meat is antibiotic and nitrate free, and is minimally processed.

Eat This Instead!
Banquet Brown ‘N Serve Turkey Sausage Links (3 links)
110 calories
7 g fat (2 g saturated)
390 mg sodium

An Even Healthier Option:

Applegate Farms, Andouille Chicken & Turkey Sausage (1 link, 85 g)

120 Calories

6 g fat (2 g saturated)

#5: WORST CEREAL
General Mills Oatmeal Crisp Hearty Raisin (1 cup)
240 calories
2.5 g fat (0.5 saturated)
20 g sugar

Oatmeal Crisp . . . it certainly sounds healthy, right? But upon closer inspection, this may actually be the most deceptive item on this entire list. It offers no frosting or marshmallows, yet it still manages to pack in more sugar than either Lucky Charms or Frosted Flakes. For a good bowl, look no further than Kashi’s GoLean, which meets the same nutritional standard as Kashi's oatmeal. Each bowl comes with 13 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber—exceptional numbers by cereal standards. This was a hard one for me to find, since there are really not any healthy cold cereal options out there. Most have way to much added sugar, or if you are gluten-free they contain gluten, or soy or some other kind of ingredient that I don't recommend. So the closest I could get was Bob's Red Mill again, but this time the Honey Almond granola. It does contain more fat and calories, but I think the list of ingredients is a lot healthier than I saw for Kashi's GoLean, and remember not all calories are created equal!

Eat This Instead!
Kashi GoLean (1 cup)
140 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
6 g sugar

An Even Healthier Option:

Bob's Red Mill, Honey Almond Granola (1/2 cup)

230 calories

7 g fat

7 g sugar

#4: WORST WAFFLE
Nature's Path Homestyle Frozen Waffles (2 waffles)
270 calories
10 g fat (1.5 g saturated)
5 g sugar
2 g fiber

When it comes to frozen waffles, it's what you serve on top and on the side that typically makes it a healthy breakfast. Think fruit, eggs, or ham, all of which make supreme waffle pairings. With that in mind, you don't want to burn up too many calories on the waffles alone. Nature's Path makes some decent options, but this isn't one of them. It's loaded down with dubious ingredients like soybean oil and potato starch. The better option is Van’s Lite Waffles. They cut the calories by nearly half and offer three times as much hunger-fighting fiber. Or try my suggestion and go with a waffle mix, although you will have to mix it yourself and pour it into the waffle machine, (what an extra 10 minutes max?). This way you can enjoy your waffles without having to eat all the extra ingredients that go into the product just so it can save you a few extra minutes.

Eat This Instead!
Van’s Natural Foods Lite Waffles (2 waffles)
140 calories
2 g fat
4 g sugar
6 g fiber

An Even Healthier Option:

Bob's Red Mill Buckwheat Pancake/waffle mix (as long as you aren't gluten-free if so check out Trader Joe's gluten-free option). 3, 4" pancakes

140 Calories

1g fat

2g sugar

6g fiber

#3: WORST TOASTER PASTRY
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts, Frosted Chocolate Chip flavor (2 pastries)
420 calories
12 g fat (4 g saturated)
34 g sugar

Since when has it been acceptable to eat chocolate-frosted pastries at breakfast? And yet, Pop-Tarts keeps coming out with new dessert-like options, destined to further inflame America's flab crises. Kellog's tries to claim that one serving is one pastry, yet there are two in each pack. That's more than 400 dessert-like calories before you start the day. Essentially you end up with zero fiber, a negligible amount of protein, and more sugar than you'd find in a Snickers bar. Special K’s Fruit Crisps provide you with the same ease and convenience, but for less than a quarter of the calories of a Pop-Tart. Another breakfast item that I would suggest skipping all together, but if you rely on the convenience that these boxed sugar bars provide and you aren't gluten free, then I'm going to suggest Amy's Kitchen Organic Toaster Pops. I would prefer consuming something with more protein and less sugar early in the morning, but for this category there it is. Although it has more sugar and calories than the special k, the ingredients list is much shorter and does not contain all the artificial flavors and additives.

Eat This Instead!
Special K Fruit Crisps Blueberry flavor (2 crisps)
100 calories
2 g fat (1 g saturated)
7 g sugar

An Even Healthier Option:

Amy's Kitchen Organic Apple Toaster Pops (2.11oz)

160 Calories

3.5 g Fat

10g Sugar

#2: WORST BREAKFAST SANDWICH
Jimmy Dean’s Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit Sandwiches (1 sandwich)
440 calories
31 g fat (11 g saturated, 3 g trans)
850 mg sodium

This is an instance where you'd be better off ordering your breakfast sandwich from a drive-thru window. In fact, Jimmy Dean’s Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit packs in as much fat as 2.5 McDonald’s Egg McMuffin sandwiches! But equally bad here is that glut of trans fat smooshed into this biscuit. Many food processors have begun scaling back the dangerous trans fats. We advise Jimmy to do the same. In the case of pre-made breakfast sandwiches, I think this is one that you are going to have to make yourself. But is it really that hard to fry an egg and toast an english muffin? If it is, I suggest you hard boil a few eggs the night before and make an egg salad so that in the morning you can just spread the mixture on the english muffin. Tada, now you have a healthier breakfast sandwich!

Eat This Instead!
Jimmy Dean D-Lights Canadian Bacon Honey Wheat Muffin
230 calories
4.5 g fat (3 g saturated)
760 mg sodium

Sorry, no healthy options for healthy frozen breakfast sandwiches!

#1: WORST BREAKFAST BOWL
Jimmy Dean Breakfast Bowls: Pancakes and Syrup and Sausage Links (1 bowl)
710 calories
34 g fat (12 g saturated)
35 g sugar
1,000 mg sodium

It should come as no surprise that the top two breakfast offenders come from the king of sausage. This bowl surpasses the other items on this list in every category: calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium. You would have to bike roughly 17 miles to burn off just one of these breakfasts. Most of Jimmy Dean's breakfast can at least back their calories with a substantial amount of protein, but this bowl has a paltry 12 grams. The Smart Ones breakfast below manages to squeeze in 15 grams, and it does it with 500 fewer calories! I'm just not a fan of frozen eggs that you heat up in the microwave, call me crazy. The only breakfast bowl that I could think of that I would want to eat in the morning is an acai bowl, which I know is on a totally different page than these eggs in plastic container things. Although the acai bowl has WAY more calories and sugar, it does have more health benefits. I would also suggest substituting some of the fruit for protein, mixing in almond butter, chopped nuts, etc.

Eat This Instead!

Smart Ones Morning Express Cheesy Scramble with Hashbrowns (1 package)
210 calories
9 g fat (4 g saturated)
1 g sugar
510 mg sodium

Acai bowl from Juice it up (16 oz)

690 Calories

19g fat

80g sugar

Pura Vida!

Alica Ryan, NTP