3 Surprising Diet Mistakes
You might think it’s what you eat off your fork—not the size of your utensil—that’s causing you to pack on the pounds. But new research suggests otherwise. Read on to get the scoop on this and other eating habits that can tip the scale.
1. You drink a lot of diet soda.
Yes, it’s calorie-free, but it might lead to an expanding waistline. People who drink even one diet soda a day have larger waist circumferences compared with non–soda drinkers, according to research from the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. One possible reason: “People think that they’re ‘saving’ calories by choosing diet soda, so they eat more to make up for it,” says study coauthor Sharon Fowler, MPH. Another theory: Artificial sweeteners may increase your cravings for other sweet foods like candy.
Either way, the calories can really add up, so try to quit the diet soda and reach for water or seltzer instead. If going cold turkey is too difficult, limit yourself to one soda just two or three times a week.
2. You use a small fork.
The size of your utensil could affect how much you eat, but not in the way you might think: People who used a small fork ate 12% more, according to a University of Utah study. “When you use a little fork, each bite is so small that you don’t feel like you’re making a dent in the food on your plate,” says study author Arul Mishra, PhD. “This makes it easy to overeat and not realize it.” Eat slowly, use a larger fork and put it down every few bites so your brain has a chance to realize your stomach is getting full.
3. You eat potatoes every day.
OK, so you know that French fries and potato chips aren’t exactly health foods, but you might not realize the extent of the effect they have. A recent Harvard study found that people who had fries every day for four years put on 3.35 pounds; potato chips meant 1.69 pounds, and baked or mashed potatoes added 1.28 pounds.
What’s so bad about spuds? Potatoes can cause spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels, which may make you hungry again soon after eating them, says study author Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, PhD. Consider potatoes once-in-a-while foods, and fill up on fruits, veggies and nuts instead.
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1. You drink a lot of diet soda.
Yes, it’s calorie-free, but it might lead to an expanding waistline. People who drink even one diet soda a day have larger waist circumferences compared with non–soda drinkers, according to research from the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. One possible reason: “People think that they’re ‘saving’ calories by choosing diet soda, so they eat more to make up for it,” says study coauthor Sharon Fowler, MPH. Another theory: Artificial sweeteners may increase your cravings for other sweet foods like candy.
Either way, the calories can really add up, so try to quit the diet soda and reach for water or seltzer instead. If going cold turkey is too difficult, limit yourself to one soda just two or three times a week.
2. You use a small fork.
The size of your utensil could affect how much you eat, but not in the way you might think: People who used a small fork ate 12% more, according to a University of Utah study. “When you use a little fork, each bite is so small that you don’t feel like you’re making a dent in the food on your plate,” says study author Arul Mishra, PhD. “This makes it easy to overeat and not realize it.” Eat slowly, use a larger fork and put it down every few bites so your brain has a chance to realize your stomach is getting full.
3. You eat potatoes every day.
OK, so you know that French fries and potato chips aren’t exactly health foods, but you might not realize the extent of the effect they have. A recent Harvard study found that people who had fries every day for four years put on 3.35 pounds; potato chips meant 1.69 pounds, and baked or mashed potatoes added 1.28 pounds.
What’s so bad about spuds? Potatoes can cause spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels, which may make you hungry again soon after eating them, says study author Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, PhD. Consider potatoes once-in-a-while foods, and fill up on fruits, veggies and nuts instead.
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Comments
Would argue about the potato ban - overeating anything is bad - but potatoes with skin and without the "stuff" on them are not bad for you. I love them, but don't eat them every day because that would get old fast. Really don't like them fried - I mean come on, you think you won't gain weight overeating fries? - or with stuff on them - if they are pretty plain you can actually taste them.
Would agree with the artificial sweeteners in soda - have sworn off artificial stuff because it does tend to make me more hungry for sweets. Artificial anything just cannot be good for your body. My thoughts anyway. - 2/13/2012 3:42:28 PM
Smaller bites usually makes me feel like I'm getting *more* from a meal, not less. It lets the meal last longer, gets my body to that 'satisfied' point before I've eaten too much. It's why I love to eat with chopsticks. It makes the meal go slower, rather than 'shoveling' food, I savor it and never feel like I'm being denied.
As long as I've portioned what's on my plate, it'll all get eaten. If I eat it slower, more bites, I feel like I've gotten more and I'm less likely to reach for a second helping! - 2/13/2012 2:27:38 PM
Milk is bad too if you add ice cream, chocolate syrup,etc to it,, balance.. - 2/13/2012 1:07:19 PM
- 2/13/2012 12:56:28 PM
As for potatoes... It isn't the potatoes, it is how they are prepared. I rather like boiled or baked potatoes, and you really can't beat them for a filling and cheap meal. - 2/13/2012 12:06:54 PM
I can see how a certain food, like diet soda or potatoes, might cause hunger or cravings, and lead one to overeat if you aren't paying attention, but I don't really understand how any one food can be a diet mistake, if you're watching your calorie intake and portion sizes carefully. - 2/13/2012 10:02:33 AM
Do we really think the potato was the root of the problem. I think the science of the study here was flawed. There wasn't really any control here. If you'd considered all other things equally AND added just plain potatoes, I'd be willing to listen, but...I think your researcher WANTED to find a problem with potatoes, so (s)he did.
As far as the fork...I have trouble believing that one extra tine makes a difference in how big a dent I'm putting in the food on my plate, but...if it does, wouldn't it slow me down, giving my brain more time to realize that I'm getting full?
I remain unconvinced. I think the science here is specious. - 2/13/2012 9:58:03 AM
I haven't read the study myself, but it sounds like all they did was take the data of what people tracked and correlated it to the weight gain of the people. Correlation is not the same as cause and effect. And even if it was, to think that people put every piece of cake, cookie, and candy bar on their tracking is being extremely naive. Usually, when a comment such as that is made, people from the study respond something like "But, we had a large number of people we tracked, so that would correct such errors." Yeah, right. Just ask Weight Watchers how many people honestly track. - 2/13/2012 9:34:17 AM
If anything, the reason Americans are overweight is because of portion distortion. They're eating too much of everything, not just the potato. I eat sweet potatoes very regularly these days. I love their nutrient dense starchy goodness. :)
- 2/13/2012 9:17:42 AM
www.20potatoesaday.com/index showed an "experiment" where a man ate potatoes daily in a healthful way and had weight loss and health benefit. Not that this is the ideal diet either, but I don't see why potatoes should be excluded if someone wants a potato or 2 per day.
- 2/13/2012 7:40:33 AM
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