Super Sneaky: 5 Diet Wreckers You're Not Realizing

Our friends at Yahoo! Shine can really pinpoint reasons why are diets aren't working. Here is another great article about diet wreckers to watch out for:

5 Sneaky Diet Wreckers

No doubt about it: With one in three Americans now labeled overweight, "thin" food sells. Restaurants are adding low-cal choices to their menus, processed foods are being reformulated to be "healthy," and the diet food home-delivery business is booming. So why isn't weight loss getting any easier? Blame these five sneaky diet wreckers:

1. Good food gone bad. Fruit, veggies, and whole grains are the backbone of nearly every weight loss plan. But that doesn't mean you can eat your fruit blended into sugary shakes called "smoothies" or candied into "fruit chews." And those veggie chips? Most are still salty, greasy, and calorie-laden. Oily pasta dishes flecked with a few carrots and broccoli bits shouldn't be allowed to call themselves "salads" -- even if they use whole-wheat noodles. Skip all of the above, and enjoy your fruit and veggies whole and your noodles without oil (a little pasta water or broth will keep them from clumping together). 

2. Bet you can't eat just one. Bite-sized 100-calorie treats can be a great way to get a little taste of your favorite snack. But they can also make your mind play tricks on you. As in, "Since they're diet food, it's okay to have two of those mini packs." (If you ate the same amount from a larger package, you'd call it a binge.) Same goes for low-cal fudge-sicles, skinny ice cream sandwiches, and mini cupcakes. Tuck a six-pack in the fridge or freezer only if you trust yourself not to go back for seconds.

3. New menu, same diet traps. Weird but true: Entree options labeled "dieter's delight," "reduced calorie," or "healthy" lead some weight-conscious folks (you?) to indulge in a giant bowl of fettuccine Alfredo. Somehow, just being near healthy choices tricks your brain into thinking you've made one. Don't be fooled: See "healthy" and order that one, not its neighbor on the menu!

4. High fiber but not low cal. Think counting fiber grams means you can get away with more calories? You're sort of on the right track. Where you can go off the rails, though, is not paying attention to sugar. For instance, some bran muffins and cold cereals can still be loaded with sugar calories, which will not only get you a ride on the blood sugar roller coaster but also whet your appetite for more sweet sugar calories later.

5. "Lite" serving sizes. That chicken lasagna is only 300 calories? Sure, if you eat only 1 cup. Making the natural assumption that what looks like a single serving on the package of a frozen dish actually is one serving can cause you to double up on calories without knowing it. To lose weight, either look for frozen entrees that clearly state "single serving" on the package, or read all the fine print on the nutrition label, starting with the serving size.

Super Slimmers: All or Nothing Dieter

Find yourself saying: "Well, I already blew it so..." or "Today is the day!"

Diagnosis: You are an all or nothing dieter

You enjoy: restrictive diets. When you slip you figure you've already blown your diet, so why not get in all your bad foods today so you can start fresh tomorrow

Things to avoid: Obviously the food groups you’re avoiding already but also diet products that boast claims like low fat, nonfat, sugar free foods. These foods will only highlight the full fat, full sugared foods you’re missing out on. Instead, opt for foods that mimic the flavor and texture of the foods you really crave.

Rules to live by: 1) Avoid leaving the house hungry. If you’re already partially satisfied when you go to a party or out to dinner you’ll be less tempted to blow your diet. 2) Log your daily intake and times when you eat with a food diary. By recording when and what you eat everyday you will come to realize those moments in the day when you slip up and what foods you’re either getting too much or too little of. 3) Try the switch it up approach. Rather than cutting carbs, sugar, fats, etc. all at once, try one week with no carbs, the next week reinstate carbs but cut out fats, the next week reinstate fats but cut out sugars, etc. This will keep you from feeling deprived of any food group for too long and also keep your body constantly guessing.

Eat: frozen meals. With little preparation and easy to follow meals, these foods are ideal for nutritional balance and portion control for even the most restrictive diet. Dieters are able to eat a variety of different foods and cuisines that won’t blow their restrictive diets.

If you know yourself, you know that each day represents a new day. While some could criticize how making an announcement to yourself that today is the day you do it right may actually emphasize your upcoming deprivation and sets you up for failure, you may not realize how declaring each day a new day wipes your slate clean.